CHARLOTTE -- For those living at the Cavalier Apartments in east Charlotte, when it rains it pours… or rather floods, sometimes right into parts of their complex.

Soon that flooding risk will evaporate, but it won’t matter much for the area residents. After years of plans and negotiations, the county officially owns the complex. It will be torn down next year.

Once the buildings are demolished, county leaders say it will be the largest clearing of flood-prone property they’ve removed to date.

"The combination of those two properties represents 60 percent of the flood insurance claims paid in Mecklenburg County,” said Dave Canaan for Mecklenburg Co. in regards to the area that is commonly flooded by overflow and runoff from Briar Creek.

"It is normal during heavy rains for our creeks to get filled with storm water and over top just a little bit” said Canaan. “And during the real, real heavy rain events that's unfortunately when they sometimes get well off their banks and into buildings and structures."

Canaan said the apartments were built in the early 1970s, years before flood planning requirements went into effect. "An extensive amount of fire personnel come down to help evacuate these apartments and with these apartments now gone, that will provide them the opportunity to provide emergency services to other areas of the city."

Before the buildings are demolished, a relocation agent will find the 180 residents a new home.

"We meet with the residents individually, learn more about the number of members living in the units and find them comparable housing in the area,” said Canaan.

Once the 13 apartment buildings are torn down, county leaders will meet with neighbors to determine how to transform the aging complex into a thriving greenway area attached to Chantilly Park.

"They'll be a total of 20 acres that will be available for passive recreation, greenway connectivity to Monroe Road, Chantilly Elementary and most importantly the Chantilly neighborhood,” explained Canaan.

Across Briar Creek, the Doral Apartments are in the process of being rezoned by the city and redeveloped against the threat of flooding.