First floor of Manayunk complex floods

Floodwaters invaded the Venice Lofts apartments in Manayunk on Friday, forcing a mass evacuation and the rescue of two people by raft.

Some residents of the complex, on 300-acre Venice Island between the Manayunk Canal and the Schuylkill, awoke to sudden danger as rain fell.

"When I looked out the window, it looked like Katrina," said Christopher Smalls, 28, a resident for two years. "Cars were floating."

Smalls was rescued from his townhouse on a raft by a Fire Department squad.

His first floor had flooded, ruining furniture and electronics. The second and third floors were untouched. After being rescued, a soaked Smalls headed to Wal-Mart to buy dry socks and pants.

"Everything's wet," he said.

The development was controversial when it was built, opposed by neighbors who worried about flooding. In 2001, a city Common Pleas Court judge blocked construction, saying that putting apartments on Venice Island "poses too great a risk to human life and property."

Later rulings cleared the way to build, and developers said at the time the project had built-in safety components.

"If I felt that I was placing anyone in jeopardy, I would not do this project," developer Carl Dranoff said then.

On Friday he reiterated that, saying the structures were built to withstand the flooding that occurs on the Schuylkill every five or 10 years. The design included flood-related features such as a pedestrian bridge that lets residents to flee to dry land.

"The buildings are performing exactly as planned," Dranoff said. "Every precaution was taken in the design. . . . The main thing is to prevent injuries or bodily harm. Buildings can be fixed."

His company, Dranoff Properties, was in contact with fire and police officials as the risk of flooding loomed, and managers at the site were helping with evacuations, he said.

The complex consists of one six-story apartment building that contains 90 units and 38 townhouses.

The first floor of the apartment building is the lobby, into which water crept yesterday. Dranoff said the water did not reach upper-floor living areas, and no one suffered damage to belongings there.

The first floor of the townhouses consists of an entry foyer and a small equipment area. "The leasing people do tell the renters it's not a habitable area, and if you use it, you use it at your own risk."

Several townhouses sustained lower-level damage yesterday, and their residents were being put up at hotels.

Dranoff said residents must carry standard renters insurance, but not flood insurance.

Residents began returning to their homes late Friday afternoon.

Jami Dolby, 30, was among them. She was at work when she got a call saying people were being evacuated. By the time she got to her townhouse, officials were not allowing people inside.

"It was a little uneasy, but it could have been much worse," she said.

Fire Department officials estimated 250 people live in the Venice complex, and 75 were at home and had to be evacuated Friday.

The Venice Lofts blend newer buildings with historic textile-mill structures. Its website touts hardwood floors, gourmet kitchens, and marble baths - luxury living with canal or river views.

Yesterday, outside the entrance on Flat Rock Road, six cars were submerged.

A red BMW convertible sat in waist-deep water, its emergency flashers blinking and its windshield wipers flapping.

Jennifer Moretti, 35, who moved in during May, said she and others were warned Thursday of possible flooding. "I didn't think anything of this magnitude would happen," she said.

Yesterday she stood outside with her dog, staring at the water and unsure what to do.

Evan Kurz, a 24-year-old medical student who attends Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, made his way to the Venice complex Friday morning to get his dog, Sadie, as fire alarms blared. The Pomeranian-poodle mix was scared but unhurt, he said.

After navigating blocked streets in his car, he parked and walked to the building. Officials initially blocked him but relented so he could retrieve his dog, Kurz said.

Manayunk's business area escaped major damage and by late Friday was advertising business as usual.

At the Mad River Bar & Grille, owners said they suffered minimal damage, and were going ahead with plans for Saturday's Riverpalooza, an indoor-outdoor, rain-or-shine event featuring live music, free cheesesteaks, and plenty of beer and drinks.

"We got very lucky," said Max Tucker, one of the partners.