HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974 12-03 Apartment may stand unoccupied for year, Maplewood warned DISPATCH 12 (E). St.Paul Dispatch .Tues..Dec.3,'74
r •
FIRE MARSHAL: WATER FLOW TOO LOW
Apartment may stand unoccupied
forear� Maplewood Warned
y
A 190 unit apartment H, �` � g� '
111
complex, nearing - f
tion m Maplewood, may i � ,iii
have to stand unoccupied ^4 „�, , .. ,. ` 111
fora ear more. j 4 �� t
ay
ear
M or more. Al
�
Schadt said he's not about y v 3 F s X, - `�
to recommend approval of y y ,
occupancyermits for the N•4
y
apartments, known hase x.::.::.:.:..:,. <:?:::._:7i.i.;;:::.:. u
Archer Heights, on Beebei.i ::.:;;:.....;::«:�'<:>;;.:<.<:......:.:.:::<
Road north of Larpenteur .
Avenue. 1 =t
And he cites "inade I
quate" water flows as the -
reason. 0f
"We h a v e measured "<
flows of 200 to 300 gallons
per minute," Schadt said,
"and that's not good." Y � ,, 3
HE SAID that 1,500 gal- y
Ions per minute is consid-
1
ered desirable, although , .
the fire marshal some- > � e,x � s $ ;
times will allow 1,000 gal 3 �: it y m
Ions "because we have an � : ? e : .. .. .. .:5 w ,. :: � w
e f f i c i e n t fire depart- An apartment complex in Maplewood known as Archer Heights
ment." is nearingcompletion, but Fire Marshal Al Schadt says he's goingto
Meanwhile, City Engi- p Y
neer B. D. Collier says it's recommend against granting occupancy permits. He says inadequate
going to take "about a water flow in the area would cause problems fighting fires. If the city
year" to make the neees- council concurs with his recommendation, the apartments may have to
saryim-
provements
water system ase remain vacant for at least ayear. That's the time it's likelyto take to
provements to increase
the flows and pressure. complete water system improvements.—Staff Photo
And that's provided the
city council orders im- planning in Maplewood, override his recommenda- ous to allow occupancy
provements almost imme- said one of the buildings tion and allow occupancy, now."
d i a t e 1 y. which doesn't in the apartment complex despite the poor water Schadt said he also was
seem likely. was near completion. flows. concerned b e c a u s e of .
THE C O U N C I L has "I expect a request for "But I want the council "talk of additional apart-
been debating in recent an occupancy permit," he and the public' to know men t s" in the Maple
weeks whether to stay noted, 'within a couple about my concern,"he ex- Foods planned unit devel •
-
committed to going into weeks." opment at McKnight Road
the "water business" or He said the other.build- plaTla first building,"he and Larpenteur Avenue.
seeking special legislation ing, both of them three g, He warned that he will
to allow the St. Paul Wa- stories, probably will be added, "has been de- recommend against fur
ter Board to take over the finished in two months. signed mostly for elderly ther occupancy there until
local water system. Fire Marshal S c h a d t people. That's why I think completion of water sys-
Robert Reed, director of said the city council could it's particularly danger- tern improvements.