15-05-2025
Unsafe Castledowns Pointe condo owners say they're out thousands of dollars
A north Edmonton condo building that's been empty since September 2023 because of serious structural problems has now been sold.
But, the individual condo owners say they will still be short tens of thousands of dollars after the sale.
In March 2023, a fire damaged part of the Castledowns Pointe condo building (12618 152 Ave.) in the Baranow neighbourhood in the Castle Downs area.
1:57
Fears of collapse prompt plea for residents to get out of Castle Downs condo building
Engineers from Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd. (RJC) were hired to inspect part of the property damaged by a fire on March 12, 2023.
Story continues below advertisement
During their review in May of that year, the structural engineers from RJC discovered the actual construction of the fire-damaged portion of the building was not the same as the engineered drawings on file, 'and that the as-built conditions were under-designed to carry the structural load of the building,' according to a Sept. 1, 2023 letter to residents.
Framing issues identified during a structural engineer assessment of the Castledowns Pointe condo building (12618 152 Ave.) in August 2023. Credit: Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd.
In September of that year, everyone living in the building was forced to evacuate, after an engineering report said the building could fail.
Get daily National news
Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy
'Our engineer advised us at some point a floor could've collapsed and people would've died,' said Susan Strebchuk, the condo board chair for Castledowns Pointe.
The building has been fenced off and partially covered by a tarp for almost two years now.
1:40
Castledowns Pointe residents forced to pay thousands after special assessment
No one's been allowed back, including Lisa Brown, who owns one of the building's 83 units.
Story continues below advertisement
'I mean, it's just a complete disaster,' Brown said.
Now, condo owners say there's hope they could get some money back soon.
In April, Harmani Rentals bought the property for $5.1 million. They plan to turn it into rental units.
'Because there was a flood, fire and structural, those three combinations make it a little more challenging and it might just be better to knock it down. We're still trying to identify that,' Harmani Rentals' co-founder Harpreet Singh said.
1:55
No return timeline given to Castledowns Pointe owners at emergency meeting
The condo board said owners should see money from the sale by October, two years after they were evacuated.
What they will get isn't expected to cover their investment.
'We have a number of owners who still have mortgages they have to pay out, so this is going to seem like pennies on the dollar,' Strebchuk said.
Story continues below advertisement
Brown is in that category. She figures in a best-case scenario, she's still short tens of thousands of dollars.
'At the end of the day, I'll still owe $93,000, which I definitely don't have so I will have to go into bankruptcy,' Brown said.
It's a situation Brown hopes she can eventually put behind her, now that the building is sold.
'The losses financially for everyone are just something you can never, ever, ever imagine,' Brown said.
'Just start to collect everything and brush yourself and start moving forward again. Or trying to, anyway.'
— With files from Karen Bartko, Global News
