Empire Towers offers $3K to people whose cars remain trapped in garage after evacuation

GLEN BURNIE, Md. (WBFF) — Three weeks after Empire Towers in Glen Burnie were evacuated over structural concerns, many tenants are still waiting for answers.

It’s been 26 days since the 10-story office building was evacuated due to unpermitted construction work. A recent email obtained by our media partners at The Baltimore Sun says it’s “highly unlikely” tenants will be able to retrieve vehicles from the garage for the next 90 days.

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For many, it’s another setback after weeks of trying to figure out how to get to work, keep business running and move forward.

“It sucks for the local economy and the local business, the small mom and pop shops. There’s a game store at the bottom, and there’s I think a dry cleaners as well there,” resident Matthew Weinstein said.

The building was evacuated July 9 after structural concerns were discovered in the underground parking garage. No one was injured, but tenants have been unable to access their offices, belongings or vehicles ever since.

“I used to deal with State Farm in that building years ago. I don’t even understand why they were doing construction in that building as it’s so high without, I guess, the proper permits and stuff,” resident Vonny Dorsey said.

Meanwhile, Anne Arundel County established a 150-foot safety perimeter around the building, which is “the standard measurement for a potential collapse zone”.

On the county’s website, it says emergency shoring work started on July 29 to stabilize the building.

No one can enter the building or parking garage until engineers determine it’s safe.

I think the county needs to step up and help these people that work at this building because they, like I said, they probably have children, they have families they have to take care of, mortgages, car payments,” Weinstein said.

The owners of the Empire Towers sent FOX45 News the following statement:

Building ownership has offered a $3,000 payment, without conditions, for any individual whose vehicle is currently located in the building garage. This payment is intended to be applied towards temporary, alternative means of transportation for such affected individuals.”

Even with that offer, many people said they’re frustrated by the lack of certainty.

In the meantime, Empire Towers said emergency stabilization work continues every single day, and access to the building will remain restricted until engineers determine it’s safe.