ANNA MARIA ISLAND – Could a tragedy such as last month’s collapse of the high-rise condominium in Surfside happen here?
Some say it could – particularly after a balcony fell off a residence in Holmes Beach last week at 4106 Sixth Ave. (see related story).
In response to the June 24 collapse of the 12-story Champlain Towers South in Surfside, Longboat Key officials sent an open letter to property managers and condominium board members last week advising them to consider inspecting their foundations and structures.
And the property manager for the only high-rises on Anna Maria Island – the two seven-story Martinique condo buildings in Holmes Beach – has advised its board members to do an engineering study.
Longboat Key does not have AMI’s three-story height restriction – enacted after Martinique was built in the 70s – and subsequently has high-rise buildings lining the Gulf side of the key, but buildings of any height and location constructed in a salt-laden beach environment may be affected by corroding rebar and cracking concrete, two of the problems in the Champlain Towers.
“It’s not just mid- and high-rise,” Longboat Key’s Planning, Zoning and Building Department Director Allen Parsons said. “Any building that’s counting on rebar and structural cement to hold it up it needs to be maintained.”
It’s also not just an issue for Gulf of Mexico-facing properties, he said, but for any property in the beach environment of Longboat Key, Anna Maria Island or any Florida barrier island.
Regular maintenance – and continual funding of scheduled maintenance – is key to preventing a tragedy, he said.
Florida’s statewide building code does not require maintenance inspections after a building meets the initial code requirements upon construction, nor do Manatee County ordinances or ordinances in Longboat Key, Anna Maria, Bradenton Beach or Holmes Beach.
Miami-Dade and Broward counties have such a requirement for buildings more than 40 years old, said Chris Brown, president of Bradenton-based C&S Community Management, which manages properties in Manatee and Sarasota counties, including Martinique North and South.
A Florida law that required that condos over three stories do an engineering study every five years was rescinded due to complaints about high costs, he said.
“With what happened in Miami, that looks like it was a very good law,” he said, adding that several legislators are revisiting it. “I personally expect there will be a new law after what happened.”
Brown recommended to Martinique board members on Friday that they do an engineering study of the two seven-story buildings, he said, adding that inspections of foundations can reveal many issues, including hidden water line leaks or irrigation leaks under a building.
Forty to 50 years ago, condos were a new concept, but now that some are half a century old, owners must be vigilant, he said.
“If you don’t stay on it, anything near saltwater can have rebar expansion; it chemically reacts with salt and cracks the foundation,” Brown said. “A lot of communities put it off. It costs money. People don’t want special assessments. That’s the hardest thing, people don’t want to pay the money.”
Even a single-story building can have rebar issues, he said.
“If you happen to be in the wrong place at that moment, it could even happen in a single story. A ceiling collapse could kill you.”
If residents see a crack, they should report it immediately.
“Follow up on it; find out what the reason is,” he said. “Address it, even if it’s going to cost money. People always need to be conscious of their environment and if you have a gut feeling, check it out.”
Condo boards and building managers should address any structural issues with structural engineers, he said.
The Surfside accident has so far resulted in the death of 24 people; 121 more remained missing as of Monday.
Open letter from the Town of Longboat Key to owners of high-rise condominiums and older (pre-1980) multi-family structures
It is critically important to have structural engineering inspections, and to act on any structural deficiencies, or damage in a time-sensitive manner. Town staff can assist with identifying resources, and engineering professionals, to conduct those inspections, or advise on follow-up measures needed to ensure the safety of our residents.
Along with the rest of the country, the Town staff are sending well-wishes to those in Surfside, FL affected by the recent building collapse. And while there aren’t answers yet as to the causes of the building’s collapse, the terrible circumstances can serve to provide a constructive prompting to encourage the assessment of the structural integrity of older, multi-story buildings here in the Town to ensure the safety of residents and visitors.
The Town would like to encourage owners and property managers to consult with structural engineers to have a proper inspection completed, especially if the building is older and has not been recently evaluated. This kind of consultation is not currently a requirement, like it is in Dade and Broward counties and their jurisdictions, but it is recommended and does have a lot of merit for coastal environments.
Buildings on or near the ocean are especially vulnerable because they are constantly exposed to the increased effects of saltwater oxidation and corrosion, as well as minor concrete and masonry cracks. Stucco left exposed to the elements can cause rebar to expand up to seven times its original size, exerting a force of 10,000 pounds per square-inch (PSI). This condition—commonly referred to as spalling—can necessitate extremely expensive concrete restoration. Hundreds of thousands of dollars can be saved in building repair costs alone by following a regular maintenance schedule, applying early detection methods, and practicing aggressive prevention techniques.
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