Employees at Empire Towers frustrated as vehicles remain trapped weeks after evacuation
Employees at Empire Towers in Glen Burnie are growing frustrated over the lack of access to their vehicles, which have remained in the building's parking garage since the property was evacuated and deemed unsafe on July 9.
An email obtained by CBS News Baltimore from the building's management indicates the vehicles could remain trapped in the garage for months.
Anne Arundel County officials said about 100 people were evacuated after unpermitted construction work in the parking garage caused ceilings to sag and exposed rebar.
"You just felt the whole building shake," said Vickie Gorzo, whose Jeep remains in the parking garage. "You heard a loud bang, and the whole building shook."
According to an email sent to tenants, an engineer's analysis determined it is not safe to remove the vehicles within the next 90 days, and no one will be allowed to enter the building for the foreseeable future.
Construction crews have begun work to stabilize the structure.
"Of course, anybody would be angry that unpermitted work was happening while you were in the building," Gorzo said.
"Definitely a heart-tugger"
Gorzo told CBS News Baltimore she hasn't been allowed to access the law office where she works on the seventh floor of Empire Towers since the building was evacuated weeks ago.
She said her insurance company provided her with a rental car, but others haven't been as fortunate.
"Thankfully, I was one of the lucky ones," Gorzo said. "My insurance company did give me a rental car for a month, but after Aug. 9, I won't have a vehicle."
Gorzo said she has been able to work remotely. But beyond her car, she's worried about the personal belongings left behind in her office, including a betta fish and a sentimental anniversary gift from her husband.
"It's definitely a heart-tugger that it's still up there," Gorzo said.
Earlier this month, Karen Kamosa told CBS News Baltimore that her mother's work is in limbo because her vehicle was among those left in the parking garage.
"She's like, 'I will never park in a parking garage again, and whatever building I go in better be one floor.' She is shaken up. Everybody in that building is shaken up," Kamosa said. "One minute, we are hearing good things, and the next it's bad...we're tired."
According to the email sent to tenants, the complexity of the stabilization and shoring work has caused delays because crews have had to address specific structural issues before they could safely enter the parking garage.
The email also said that once the emergency shoring work is complete, management will consult with the building owner's structural engineers and Anne Arundel County officials to determine when people can retrieve their vehicles and personal belongings.
