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Miami orders evacuation of 156-unit as structurally and electrically unsafe

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Re: Miami orders evacuation of 156-unit as structurally and electrically unsafe

#51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is exactly what happened with Champlain Towers. After that assessment, they got a repair estimate and then the board and residents argued with each other about the price of fixing it for 3 years... all the way up to the moment it collapsed. https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/majority-of-fl...

Without opening story...why would residents have anything to do with paying for maintaining the building they're a customer of?

They're probably owners, not renters.

Re: Miami orders evacuation of 156-unit as structurally and electrically unsafe

#52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is exactly what happened with Champlain Towers. After that assessment, they got a repair estimate and then the board and residents argued with each other about the price of fixing it for 3 years... all the way up to the moment it collapsed. https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/majority-of-fl...

Without opening story...why would residents have anything to do with paying for maintaining the building they're a customer of?

A typical condo ownership involves fractional ownership of the building with occupancy rights to a specific unit. The costs for general repair come out of a common pool of dues paid by each owner.

Re: Miami orders evacuation of 156-unit as structurally and electrically unsafe

#53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Crestview Towers North Miami Beach offers property for sale that are modern, well-maintained ..." perhaps not. https://crestviewtowers.com/

Only $182k for a 2br condo. What a steal.

better buy until the price comes… crashing down

Re: Miami orders evacuation of 156-unit as structurally and electrically unsafe

#54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Similarly, it shouldn't take a security breach for companies to care about security. Poor budgets are what is eliminating the safety nets.

Isn't this a predictable failure mode of capitalism and free markets? Entities are disincentivised from preparing for rare and catastrophic events.

No. The building was communally owned by its residents, and they squabbled for years about allocating money for the repairs.

All economic systems begin and end with the lament "if only we had more money, we could do it right."

Re: Miami orders evacuation of 156-unit as structurally and electrically unsafe

#55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s almost the opposite in NYC. Huge buildings on solid foundations. Hard part is building. Everything you drop you need to build same day. Good luck organizing it!

The new midtown superthins are held up by reinforced concrete and are swaying in the breeze. They're going to be a liability once enough cracks develop.

I remember being on the top of the Eiffel Tower, and you could feel the slow swaying. It was like being on a ship. You couldn't see the swaying, you just felt constantly off balance.

Re: Miami orders evacuation of 156-unit as structurally and electrically unsafe

#56

The geology of Florida is terrifying. I’ve been reading about how a building like this could collapse, and I came across this interesting phrase, “sink hole alley” The area between Tampa and Orlando. The bed rock is so unstable that sinkholes have become ubiquitous.

I don't think the bedrock is the problem, it's the layer of limestone above it - that's what everything in the state actually sits on.

I'm not an expert at this, but I did grow up in Florida. I'm pretty certain the bedrock is limestone. It's a Karst landscape.

Re: Miami orders evacuation of 156-unit as structurally and electrically unsafe

#58
post #16

Court records showed the Crestview Towers Condo Association had sued its insurance company for unspecified damages from Hurricane Irma in 2017. The damages had exceeded $30,000, but the association never got a payment to cover the damages, the lawsuit said. The parties were ordered into mediation last May, according to a Miami-Dade court docket. A parallel federal lawsuit between Crestview Towers and the insurer says…

Well they don't want to fix it, and presumably the lack of repairs is dangerous. What is the government supposed to do? Do the repairs for them and send them a bill?

There are situations where the US does that.

One example is SuperFund sites.

And a smaller example is large cities and things like bedbugs or other infestations. If the owner doesn't act, the city will call an exterminator and put a lien on the building.

Re: Miami orders evacuation of 156-unit as structurally and electrically unsafe

#60

I live in Minneapolis. Back in 2007 the I-35W bridge collapsed, killing 13 people. Engineers had previously reported that the bridge had structural problems. And once the collapse became national headlines news, bridges nationwide were given special attention. It shouldn't take horrific accidents for us to suddenly decide to care about structural safety.

So you want to pay higher taxes? You are in the minority.

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