Hundreds of residents at the Mercantile on Main building have received move-out notices, just a week after a broken water line caused widespread damage to one of downtown Dallas’ most iconic buildings.
“Dear Residents,” began the correspondence to tenants, which was reviewed by The Dallas Morning News. “We have received some disappointing information about the damage to the building and the ability to reoccupy the apartments.”
The letter, which was sent on Thursday to all tenants in the 31-story apartment building located at 1800 Main St., also cites severe damage to the building’s electrical infrastructure.
The conditions mean “the building will not be inhabitable for a prolonged period of time.”
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As a result, residents’ leases “will be terminated in accordance with [the] stated terms,” the letter states. “We know that and regret how difficult and disruptive this is for you and your family.”
A representative for Brookfield Properties, the New York-based commercial real estate giant that owns and manages the Mercantile on Main, did not respond to an inquiry from The News on Friday.
Since late last week, the damaged apartment building, located near the corner of Main and St. Paul streets, has seen heavy activity from various repair crews, although residents have been able to freely access their apartments.
That changed on Friday, when residents were told the property was now a “restricted access building” and asked to remove their valuables, according to additional correspondence reviewed by The News.
Residents have 30 days to move out from the time the property’s elevators become accessible; if they don’t, one letter to tenants stated, their belongings will be removed in order to make way for repair crews.
The displaced tenants are receiving refunds for their October rent payments and additional payments of $3,700 for lessees of one-bedroom apartments, and $4,800 for lessees of two-bedroom apartments, according to a report by CBS Texas.
Management is also setting up a crisis relief center on the building’s first floor to assist tenants with financial reimbursement and other issues.
By now the building’s displaced residents have already spent several days living in hotels or with friends — while attempting to navigate renters’ insurance compensation and other logistics.
However, the news that they won’t be able to return to their apartments comes as a new blow.
One longtime resident, who is currently staying in a Dallas hotel and declined to be named out of privacy reasons, has brought up previous issues the building has had, including another water leak. He wondered about a potential class action suit, he told The News.
The building’s emergency last Thursday afternoon stemmed from a broken water line on the 20th floor, which created a widespread flood that then reached the 11th floor electrical room, creating a large smoke incident and prompting first responders to go door to door to evacuate tenants.
More than 25 units responded to the scene from Dallas Fire-Rescue, according to call logs, while the Red Cross offered tenants temporary shelter at the Dallas Public Library.
Ari’s Pantry, a small Italian grocery store connected to the same building, was also temporarily closed because of the incident, but reopened on Friday.
The Art Moderne-style Mercantile Building, which first opened in the early 1940s as a bank tower, was the only major American office building to open during World War II, according to the city of Dallas. More recently, its rehabilitation into an apartment building has served as one of the cornerstones of downtown Dallas’ ongoing revitalization initiative.