COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Franklin County judge has approved the immediate sale of a Near East Side property where all residents were forced to evacuate last week.
Paxe Latitude, the owners of Latitude Five25, agreed to the terms of the sale Tuesday night after hashing things out behind closed doors in the Franklin County Municipal Environmental Court earlier in the day.
On Christmas, residents were evacuated abruptly after a piper burst, taking only what they could carry to an emergency shelter. Many displaced residents are now staying in hotels.
The property was condemned by the city last week due to the unsafe conditions of the buildings.
The city says the buildings, located at 525 Sawyer Blvd., were found to be without potable water, heat and a working fire suppression system. Additionally, only one of four elevators are working.
Last week, Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein announced plans to file a motion for contempt.
That hearing was scheduled for Tuesday morning, but instead, representation from both sides met for hours behind closed doors to discuss a resolution that would include the sale of the property.
According to a Franklin County Municipal Court document, Paxe must enter a purchase and sale agreement by Jan. 6 and must close by the end of the month.
The soon-to-be former owners must complete repairs and/or the replacements necessary to fully restore heat, hot water and elevator service to the property.
Paxe must also reimburse all costs for temporarily housing the displaced tenants from the property last week.
Tenants will also have the right to terminate their lease agreement with no penalty. Those who return will not be required to pay January rent.
The tenants cannot move back in until the building is up to code.
More details about the sale agreement can be read here.