All articles tagged with #champlain towers south
Federal investigators preliminarily concluded that the deadly 2021 Surfside condo collapse likely started in the pool deck due to design flaws and low safety margins, with the failure beginning more than seven minutes before the building fell, confirming earlier suspicions and highlighting longstanding structural issues.
Federal investigators examining the Surfside condo collapse have revealed that the construction of the pool deck at Champlain Towers South deviated from design requirements, weakening the slab-column connections. The changes added to the low margins against failure that the housing complex was already facing. Previous reports had found a severe strength deficiency in the pool deck, with steel reinforcement buried deeper than planned and heavier planters adding more weight. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is conducting a meticulous investigation and aims to release its final report by June 2025.
Family members of the victims of the Champlain Towers South collapse gathered at Veterans Park in Surfside to mark the two-year anniversary of the tragedy. A torch was lit near the site and the names of all 98 victims were read aloud. The investigation into the cause of the collapse is ongoing, but a preliminary report identified a severe strength deficiency in the building's pool deck. The site has been sold to a billionaire developer who plans to build a new tower, but some victims' families are pushing for a permanent memorial on the site. Town officials are considering a memorial on public land adjacent to the property.
The proposed construction of a luxury oceanfront condominium building on the site of the Champlain Towers South condominium building collapse in Surfside, Florida, has sparked a bitter debate over whether the 1.8-acre lot should also include space for a memorial to the 98 people who died in the tragedy. Family members of the victims are calling for a memorial to be incorporated into the plans for the new building, while the developer, DAMAC International, contends that the new building will "add meaningful value to the beachside haven that is Surfside." The emotional debate is now dominating town meetings in Surfside and serving as yet another test of how the nation recognizes grief and memorializes victims of tragedies.
Federal investigators released a preliminary report on the Champlain Towers South collapse that could have implications for Champlain Towers North, which was built by the same developer. Champlain Towers North is undergoing its 40-year re-certification through a four-phase plan that an engineer is spearheading. The investigators found that a Champlain Towers South pool deck had a “severe strength” deficiency, and the design of the structure failed to meet the codes and standards applicable at the time of original construction. The situation at Champlain Towers North is different, and the concrete is within the required strength that was designed for in the first place.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology released a preliminary report on the cause of the 2021 Surfside building collapse, finding that the Champlain Towers South pool deck had a "severe strength deficiency." The investigators also found that the design of the structure failed to meet the codes and standards applicable at the time of original construction. The final report is set to be published in May 2025. The collapse killed 98 people, and families of the victims are still seeking answers as to why it happened and who is at fault.