BALTIMORE — The parking garage at the Baltimore Police Department headquarters is closed after a concrete slab of the decking surface failed creating a hole approximately 1 foot wide and 3 feet long.
The incident happened on the fourth parking garage level on August 24 around 11 p.m.
According to an inspection report obtained by WMAR-2 News Mallory Sofastaii, this incident “does not represent a new structural concern.”
The Department of General Services found that conditions at the garage are continuing to worsen and use of the garage levels would represent “a degree of risk to the safety of people or property from localized failures. If the vehicles are allowed to drive within the garage, the same risk exists to both vehicle and passengers. If pedestrians are allowed to walk within the garage, there is a risk to their safety.”
The DGS engineering team does not have structural concerns about the overall stability of the garage, however, "potential for localized failures exists throughout the garage and could increase in the levels below." They don't know which damaged areas will fail and to what degree.
They recommend the garage stay closed with no unauthorized access until permanent structural repairs are complete. A DGS spokesperson was unable to provide a timeline on those repairs until a contract is awarded.
Sofastaii was also contacted by public safety professionals who are concerned with the lack of parking available to employees. Around 225 cars park in the garage on a normal day, according to the Baltimore Police Department.
In an email, Baltimore Police spokeswoman Lindsey Eldridge wrote:
“City Inspectors and DGS personnel have been on site with engineers and BPD facilities personnel to assess the garage flooring. Out of an abundance of caution, the garage has been closed until further notice. BPD has located alternative parking for all vehicles using the garage and police operations have not been impacted. DGS is working with their engineering team to develop a solution.”
Mike Mancuso, president of the Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge No. 3, said the conditions at the garage are nothing new.
In an email, he wrote:
"For decades patchwork repairs have been done to various levels of the garage cement floor. I worked out of the Homicide Unit (based in HQ) for almost 2 decades and during that time there were several vehicle tires that were flattened by falling into the holes in the garage floor. Exposed rebar in the cement floor was a common occurrence. Some of those in HQ feared that there would be a catastrophic event involving the garage at any time. I guess the city finally felt that those fears may come true when large concrete pieces started to drop to the lower ramp area."
WMAR-2 News contacted Mayor Brandon Scott's Office. The Mayor's statement is below:
"The City oversees numerous buildings and garages, including some historical sites like City Hall. DGS routinely acts swiftly and effectively to address any necessary repairs to ensure city employees can safely do their jobs. I’m thankful for DGS’ quick response in this instance to address the minor damage that the BPD parking garage sustained last month, and for the close coordination between agencies as BPD arranged suitable alternative parking locations for all of their vehicles and equipment. They are working as quickly as possible to make the necessary repairs."
