Miami’s collapsed building needed $ 9 million in repairs

Almost three years before a waterfront building collapsed in Miami, an engineering firm estimated major repairs to the building would cost more than $ 9 million, according to recently released emails.

The Morabito Consultants email is part of a series of documents released by the town of Surfside as rescue work continues at the site of the collapsed building, where more than 150 people are still missing. At least nine people died in the landslide.

The publication of the 2018 estimate came after the publication of another document from the company which showed that the cover of the swimming pool on the ground floor of the building was supported by a concrete slab that presented “Significant structural damage” and had to be repaired in depth. This report also revealed “Abundant cracks and splinters” in the columns, beams and concrete walls of the car park.

The report did not warn of the imminent danger of the damage, and it is not clear whether any of the damage observed was responsible for the collapse of the Champlain South Towers, as the cause has not yet been established, but so far the first signs point to construction failures that could have been resolved.

The cost estimate showed that repairs to the entire building would cost over $ 9.1 million, and the cost of the garage, entrance and pool deck work alone was over $ 3.8 million of dollars. When the building collapsed, the work had not yet been done.

The previous report indicated that the waterproofing under the pool cover had failed and was improperly positioned rather than sloping, preventing water from draining.

“Failure of the waterproofing causes significant structural damage to the structural concrete slab below these areas. If the waterproofing is not replaced in the near future, the degree of deterioration of the concrete will increase exponentiallyThe report says.

The company recommended that damaged slabs be replaced in what would be a major repair.

Some of the concrete damage in the parking lot was minor, while other columns had exposed and deteriorated rebar. He also noted that many of the building’s previous attempts to repair columns and other damage from the epoxy had been tainted with poor workmanship and were unsuccessful.

Under the edge of the pool, “where the epoxy had been injected into the slab, there were new cracks coming out of the originally repaired cracksThe report says.

All of these issues should have been addressed quickly, said Gregg Schlesinger, a construction default lawyer and former construction project engineer.. “The building speaks to us. This tells us that we have a serious problem, ”Schlesinger said in a telephone interview on Saturday about the new documents. “They (the building managers) kicked the box on the road. The maintenance was insufficient. These were all red flags that needed to be addressed. They do not have”.

In a statement on Saturday, Morabito Consultants confirmed that its report “detailed major cracks and ruptures in the concrete, which required repairs to ensure the safety of residents and the public.”

The firm said that was rehired in June 2020 by Champlain Towers South to begin the 40 year recertification process which would detail the work to be done. “When the building collapsed, roof repairs were underway, but concrete restoration had not yet startedThe statement said.

Abi Aghayere, an engineering researcher at Drexel University, said the extent of the damage shown in the engineering report was remarkable. In addition to the possible problems under the pool, he said that several areas above the entrance showing signs of wear were of concern and should have been repaired immediately.

“Have the supporting elements deteriorated to the point where a critical structural element or its connections have failed, causing gradual collapse?” »He wrote in an e-mail to PA after reviewing the report. “Were there other areas of the structure that were badly damaged and went unnoticed? “

The building was in the middle of its 40-year recertification process, which requires detailed structural and electrical inspections. In an interview on Friday, Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said he was not sure the inspection was complete, but said it could contain vital clues.

“It should have been a very simple thing to do,” Burkett said. “Buildings in the United States don’t fall like this. There is a reason. We have to find out what this reason is. “

The collapse of the 12-story tower on Thursday morning also raised doubts whether other similar buildings are in danger. “It’s a wake-up call for people at the beach,” Schlesinger said. “What is scary are the other buildings. Do you think it’s unique? Not”.

Details of the building’s 40-year recertification inspection will be released once they are completed, Surfside City Clerk Sandra McCready said in an email.

The collapse is already the subject of lawsuits, including one brought hours after attorney Brad Sohn collapsed against the co-owners association to seek damages for negligence and other reasons for all residents of the tower .

The association, according to the lawsuit, “could have prevented the collapse of the South Champlain Towers by exercising ordinary care, security measures and surveillance.”

A lawyer for the association, Ken Direktor, did not respond to an email requesting comment.

(With AP information)

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