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Troubled Langford apartment block could see tenants again under new name

Owners of former Danbrook One list May 1 move-in date, but occupancy permit from city pending
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The owners of RidgeView Place, formerly known as Danbrook One, are looking to welcome residents again as soon as May 1, pending an occupancy permit being issued by the City of Langford. The building has sat empty since late 2019 due to structural defects. (Justin Samanski-Langille/News Staff)

A troubled apartment building in Langford may soon welcome residents once again under a new name and address.

The former Danbrook One building at 2766 Claude Rd. is now being advertised as RidgeView Place, with an address of 2770 Claude Rd., on the website of owners Centurion Property Associates Inc.

Under the availability section, units ranging from one bedroom suites to a three-bedroom penthouse are shown as available as of May 1. Langford Mayor Stew Young said the building still needs an occupancy permit issued by the city before anyone will be allowed to move in.

“We are happy the place is getting fixed up and hopefully ready for occupancy in the next few months,” he said. “We are looking forward to having this building supply close to 100 units onto the market, given how tight it is out here.”

The city will approve the occupancy permit once engineers hired by the building’s owner sign off on it meeting necessary standards, Young said. “It will probably be the safest building in Langford since they have gone through it with a fine-toothed comb I’m sure.”

Black Press Media has reached out to Centurion for comment.

READ MORE: Engineer on troubled Langford building unqualified: regulatory body

The building has sat empty since just before Christmas 2019 after four months of near-full occupancy, due to what were deemed as “dangerous” structural defects. In November 2021, Engineers and Geoscientists BC released a disciplinary order against the building’s engineer, Brian McClure, stating among other things that he was not qualified for the job.

Centurion bought the 90-unit building, Langford’s tallest, in August 2019 and said previously it was unaware of any structural issues. It quickly filled the building with tenants.

But four months later, the city revoked the occupancy permit based on recommendations from a new engineering report. Every tenant was required to find other housing.

Centurion said it was blindsided by the move.

Unbeknownst to them – and to the tenants of 86 occupied suites – people had been asking questions about the seismic stability of the building since construction began in 2018.

Centurion filed a lawsuit in October 2020 against DB Services, Loco Investments, Sorensen Trilogy Structural Engineering Solutions and the City of Langford seeking compensation for losses and expenses on the basis of negligence from each party. The case has not yet been heard in court.

READ MORE: Case of troubled Langford high-rise heading to civil court

READ MORE: Langford dips into $400K emergency fund to help displaced Danbrook One tenants


@JSamanski
justin.samanski-langille@goldstreamgazette.com

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Justin Samanski-Langille

About the Author: Justin Samanski-Langille

I moved coast-to-coast to discover and share the stories of the West Shore, joining Black Press in 2021 after four years as a reporter in New Brunswick.
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