Triumph and Tears

NORTHRIDGE —  Still in mourning, Shannon Gilchrist returned to the spot where the earth cracked open in the predawn chill of Jan. 17, 1994. As she slept that morning inside the Northridge Meadows Apartments, a magnitude 6.7 temblor collapsed the building, killing 16 people. The ruin became a national symbol of the suffering and loss of life in the Northridge earthquake.

But rebirth rose from the rubble Thursday as the new Parc Ridge Apartments complex was dedicated on Reseda Boulevard. Gilchrist, who escaped the destruction by leaping from a third floor balcony, came back--her interest in the project piqued by painful memories of those who didn’t walk away.

While Mayor Richard Riordan and other officials hailed the $16.8-million housing complex as part of the final chapter of the Northridge quake recovery, Gilchrist wiped away tears and explained that the wounds of those who lived at Northridge Meadows will never heal.

“I just wanted to see what the building looked like. But, being back here, I can see all the faces again,” said Gilchrist, 26, who now lives in Santa Clarita. “There’s never closure with something like that. How can there be any closure, knowing people died?”

Parc Ridge represents one of the most significant government efforts to rebuild quake-damaged property in partnership with the private sector. The 158-unit complex was funded by the Los Angeles Housing Department and the Department of Housing and Urban Development and developed by two private firms, the Northridge Redevelopment Group and Structure Redevelopment Group.

The units range from studios to three bedrooms and rents will run from $650 to $1,150 monthly. Some 63 of the units have been set aside for moderate-income families, defined as about $30,000 annually for a family of four.

At the dedication, Riordan called Parc Ridge a monument to the “unbeatable spirit of Los Angeles.”

“At 4:31 a.m., Jan. 17, 1994, the biggest natural disaster in our history took place. It took 16 Angelenos who we dearly miss,” he said. “Today, we celebrate the rebirth of this site in the San Fernando Valley.”

Though some shuddered at the thought of living near the epicenter, Martin Zweben, a spokesman for the development team, said 45 of the units have already been leased at the cheery pastel-colored complex.

Bob Kleiman, president of Structure, emphasized that the Parc Ridge design incorporates the strict seismic building requirements put into effect after the quake.

“Basically that means the steel is thicker, the concrete is stronger, the framing is doubled. Every structural component is stronger than ever,” he said.

Gilchrist, who had expected to find a complex similar to the blocky, early-’70s Northridge Meadows design, was impressed by the building’s trendy new look. Several others at the dedication marveled at the contemporary architecture marked by a circular glass tower, tree-lined courtyard, pool and spa.

Gilchrist said she returned hoping to meet an old friend named Lisa with whom she had lost contact with since the quake. She also urged others not to be steered away from living in Northridge because of the quake’s memory.

“If I had it to do all over, I would still live in Northridge,” she said. “The neighbors I had here were some of the best people I’ve ever known.”