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The long-unfolding drama surrounding Charleston’s troubled Dockside condominium complex reached a critical breaking point this week, as the association governing the property sought Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, court records show.

The filing, submitted Monday, reveals nearly $14 million in debt, most of it tied to the looming cost of tearing down the building and cleaning up the site — a financial weight that has grown heavier with each passing month since residents were ordered out.

A Tower Forced to Empty

The bankruptcy move comes after almost a year of upheaval that began when the City of Charleston ordered residents to evacuate the 18-story waterfront tower. Engineers determined the base of the building was structurally unsound, raising alarms about safety and stability.

Since that evacuation order, Dockside has stood empty — a silent high-rise overlooking the harbor, its future uncertain.

Owners Vote Against Repairs

In August, Dockside condominium owners voted not to repair the aging tower. Officials said that decision was a required procedural step for the board to pursue selling the property, effectively closing the door on restoration efforts.

That same month, some residents filed suit seeking permission to return to their homes, even as the majority of owners again confirmed their decision not to repair the structure. The vote underscored a growing consensus that the building’s problems ran too deep to fix.

Legal Storm Swirls Around Dockside

The evacuation did not end the conflict — it ignited it. In October, condo owners filed a lawsuit alleging the Dockside association knew about severe structural issues long before the evacuation but failed to disclose them. Those concerns, the lawsuit claims, ultimately forced residents from their homes with little warning.

The legal fallout has been extensive, adding to the association’s financial strain as it faces demolition costs, cleanup expenses and ongoing litigation.

An Empty Building, an Uncertain Future

For now, the Dockside property remains vacant, its fate tangled in court proceedings and bankruptcy filings. With the association’s debts climbing into the tens of millions and the tower still standing but unusable, the Chapter 11 filing marks another turning point in a saga that continues to ripple through Charleston’s waterfront community — like cracks spreading through concrete under pressure.