The City of Houston has pulled the occupancy permit of The Royalton at River Oaks condos where hundreds of residents had to be evacuated on 11 August 2022 over safety concerns. The Houston Fire Department (HFD) responded to the 33-story high-rise on Allen Parkway on the evening of the 11th after a water line break caused a mess on the first floor. The HFD immediately began evacuating residents because the water damaged part of the main floor and it was starting to buckle, and later stated that a wall was also structurally damaged.
Elevators were shut down and residents were told to get out the night of the 11th. According to an email that residents say they got from the building management, water lines also ruptured on some of the resident floors. Residents were allowed into their units on 12 August to gather essentials before leaving again but the elevators still weren’t operating.
The city sent inspectors and engineers soon after the incident but they are are still waiting on a full report. The City of Houston Public Works said it can confirm that “a structural engineer is on-site to inspect the integrity of the building.” An engineer was also on hand to ensure the building is structurally sound. The city said the management will have to reapply for an occupancy permit once the building is back in compliance.
For more on this story go to KHOU