Is the city of Fresno to blame for flooding at a well-known downtown building?

A new lawsuit says yes.

Baltara Enterprises, LP said the city failed to clear a culvert after rainstorms in 2025, causing the basement at 700 Van Ness Avenue to flood.

The building is known as South Stadium and formerly served as the headquarters for Bitwise Industries.

In the lawsuit — filed Jan. 12 in Fresno County Superior Court — Baltara said two tenants, Doc’s Gym and the State Center Community College District, broke their leases because of flooding.

Developer Will Dyck, president of Baltara Enterprises, said damage is in the “hundreds of thousands” in a brief interview with GV Wire.

SCCCD used the space to operate Geekwise Academy, a technology learning center that remained after Bitwise closed its operations in 2024.

The city declined comment through spokesperson Sontaya Rose, citing a policy of not commenting on pending litigation.

Lawsuit: Rains Cause Flooding, Damage

Heavy rains in 2025 led to complaints from Baltara’s tenants.

“SCCCD opened the basement suites and found water leakage had occurred, which caused water damage to the cubicles, desks, walls, and color printer. SCCCD was concerned by this discovery as it had expended $250,000.00 in training simulator equipment, so feared that if the leakage was not fixed, the new equipment would be damaged,” the lawsuit alleges.

Baltara reached out to the city for assistance. The public works department inspected the property the next day and “surmised that the leakage was probably coming from the underground culvert at the intersection of Mono Street and Van Ness Avenue.”

The city told Baltara it would clean out the culvert. Baltara had its doubts the city ever sent a crew. When it rained again, the flooding returned. Again, Baltara asked the city to send a team to clean the culvert and the city said it would.

“Defendant has continuously failed to rectify the issue despite numerous and repeated complaints. Soon thereafter, SCCCD vacated the property, citing the continued water leakage and flooding as the reason it had to terminate its lease,” the lawsuit says.

SCCCD leased the basement space for $5,000 a month, a district spokesperson said.

“Water intrusion damaged the basement area on more than one occasion, and the district could not risk water damage to the expensive specialized electrical equipment. Due to ongoing issues with water intrusion, the District requested an early termination of the lease, which the landlord granted,” spokesperson Jill Wagner said.

The district continues to lease other space in the same building for an art studio, exhibition space, and other art- and education-related activities, Wagner said.

Doc’s Gym also vacated its space after flooding ruined equipment, the lawsuit said.

Both spaces appeared to be leased again when GV Wire checked Wednesday. A new gym The Fitness Lounge occupies the Doc’s Gym space. Eclectic X’pressions occupies the space SCCCD once used.

Baltara filed a claim with the city that was rejected in July 2025, clearing the way for a lawsuit.

The lawsuit does not specify the amount sought in damages. It lists four causes of action: trespass, negligence, nuisance, and inverse condemnation.

A case management conference before Judge Maria Diaz is scheduled for May 28.