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Residents allowed to remain in homes

Posted on: January 16, 2025

By KATIE V. JONES

Repaired stairways at The Tiers of Laurel Lake Condominiums
Photo Credit: Katie V. Jones

The city of Laurel was able to rescind the notice to vacate order for the residents of The Tiers of Laurel Lake Condominiums before the Jan. 10 deadline, as the complex was deemed safe for occupancy, city staff said.

“We have confirmation from the city that we are good to go,” Natalie Stuppard, vice president of The Tiers of Laurel Lakes homeowners association, said. “We worked with the city to address the issues.”

Fifty-four sets of stairs were successfully brought up to code. Each of the161 units now has two egresses and all stairs now meet the concentrated load of 100 pounds requirement, according to T’Amani Hamlett, chief building official for the city of Laurel’s Department of the Fire Marshal and Permit Service.

“They’ve been doing a really great job getting things repaired and in place,” Hamlett said. “We are able to keep all the residents in their homes.”

Mayor Keith Sydnor issued the Jan. 10, 2025 vacate order on Nov. 21 after explaining to a standing-room-only crowd at Joseph R. Robison Laurel Municipal Center that the situation with deteriorating staircases left the city no choice. He originally had set the date for Dec. 9 but had extended it due to the holiday season. 

“When we found out, we came up with a plan, a solution, to get us up to code,” Marcus Brooks, president of the The Tiers of Laurel Lakes Homeowners Association, said. To allow work to begin, Omega Contracting and Consulting, the company that handled all the repairs, were “generous enough to offer a loan … of a couple hundred-thousand dollars,” Brooks said.

Repairs started in earnest before Thanksgiving, according to Hamlett. They were finished Jan. 4, just before the area’s first major snowstorm.

“I am pleased that the necessary repairs have been completed and that the building has successfully passed all required inspections,” Sydnor wrote in a statement. “It brings me great relief to know that our residents can remain in their homes with the assurance of their safety. The well-being of our residents is always our top priority. I want to sincerely thank the Management Company and the Board for their diligence and urgency in addressing this matter. Your commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of our residents is deeply appreciated.”

Hamlett noted that while the repairs passed inspection, they were temporary. The property management company and home owners have until March 2026 to find a permanent solution.

“There is going to be a second phase,” Brooks said. “This just got us up to code to keep us  in our houses. Not sure what happens next, but we’ll figure it out when it comes.”

For now, during these cold weather weeks, “People are happy to be staying in their homes,” Stuppard said. 

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