Glen Burnie office tower evacuated after garage damage, deemed unsafe

A 10-story office tower on Ritchie Highway was emptied after construction work compromised the underground parking garage beneath the building, leaving Empire Towers unsafe and cutting off traffic around the Glen Burnie site. About 100 occupants were evacuated from the privately owned property at 7310 Ritchie Highway, and county officials said no injuries were reported.

The Anne Arundel County Fire Department responded to a 911 call at about 2:30 p.m. on July 9 and found that the garage beneath the building had been damaged during active construction work. Officials later clarified that the building itself did not collapse, but the Anne Arundel County Department of Inspections and Permits determined the tower was unsafe for occupancy and posted the property accordingly. As of July 10 and July 11, public entry remained barred.

County officials said the building’s owner and management company must hire a licensed structural engineering firm to evaluate the site and draw up a remediation plan. County inspectors are expected to monitor any repair work for code compliance, while nearby businesses have been notified and the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation is reaching out to those affected. Traffic restrictions remain in place on northbound and southbound MD-3 Business, nearby county roads, and 6th Avenue NW between Ritchie Highway and Crain Highway.

The safety zone around the tower expanded to 150 feet, and structural engineers said the building was not stable enough to reopen for the foreseeable future. Problems included exposed rebar and a sagging garage ceiling.

Tenants said loud construction and jackhammering had been going on for weeks before the evacuation, with one saying the disturbance had lasted about five weeks. The building has stood for more than 50 years.