Overview
- Emergency crews evacuated about 100 people on Thursday after workers in the underground two-story parking garage reported exposed rebar and sagging concrete that raised collapse concerns.
- County inspectors formally deemed the 10-story Empire Towers unsafe on Friday and posted a notice prohibiting public entry until engineers verify repairs.
- Officials expanded the safety zone to 150 feet by Saturday and coordinated road closures and a detour of southbound Route 2 to protect the public.
- Anne Arundel County ordered the owner to retain a structural engineer and hire contractors while county inspectors oversee repair work; there is no timetable to reopen and vehicles remain trapped in the garage.
- The building is a longtime local landmark with many tenants, including an American Red Cross donation center, and nearby businesses have closed or lost customers because of the perimeter, prompting county economic outreach to assess impacts.