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September 10, 2021 - By Elia Associates

Article Index For Miami Condo Collapse

                                         Miami beach front condominiums before the collapse - Satellite image (c)2021 Maxar Technologies.

 

Primary Sources:

Title: The 2020 Florida Statutes Chapter 718 Condominiums. 

Title: Champlain Tower South Condominium Association Budget Meeting Minutes. 

Title: Town of Surfside – 8777 Collins Ave Champlain South Media Statement & Emails. 

Title: 2018-2019 Building Officials Emails – Champlain South. 

Title: Morabito Consultants Structural Engineers Report 

 

Articles:

Title:  As engineer hunt for answers in the surfside building collapse, signs point to the building’s lower reaches. 

Title: Material used in Surfside condo’s foundation could be key in finding the cause, expert says. 

Title: Champlain Towers South insurers gear up for legal claims. 

Title: Surfside inspectors visited Champlain Towers South dozens of times. Now its collapse is spurring calls for reform..

Title: Collapsed Florida tower could have been repaired faster under repealed law, experts say.

Title: Majority of Florida condo board quit in 2019 as squabbling residents dragged out plans for repairs.

Title: Liability from Florida condo collapse: everyone will ‘blame everybody else’

Title: Could a Florida Condo Collapse Happen in Ontario?

Miami Condo Collapse Index

Primary Sources:

Title: The 2020 Florida Statutes Chapter 718 Condominiums

Date: Published July 2020 (updated annually at the conclusion of a legislative session)

Summary:

718.111 The Association – Corporate Entity wherein the operation of the condominium is by the association, and it must operate as a corporation for profit or not for profit and the owners and shareholders are members of the association and the officers and directors have fiduciary responsibilities to the association members. The Director Roles and Powers as highlighted in this section and part 1 of chapter 607- For Profit Corporations and 617-Non for-Profit Corporations ;(also linked below).

718.3025 Rights and Obligations of the Association – Management/Contract Agreement Requirements, Obligations of Owners and Occupants.

Website: Click Here

607-Website: Click Here

617-Website: Click Here

 

Title: Champlain Tower South Condominium Association Budget Meeting Minutes

Date: November 18, 2018

Summary:

Recorded meeting minutes from November 18, 2018, where they discussed the repurposing of money in the special assessment account, the adoption of proposed budget for 2019, the Hallway renovation project, and a guest speaker the Building Official from the Town of Surfside wherein the structural engineer report was discussed for the 40-year recertification project.

Website: Click Here

 

Title: Town of Surfside – 8777 Collins Ave Champlain South Media Statement & Emails

Date: July 4, 2021

Summary:

Email Correspondence between the Property Manager, Board Members, Engineer and the Town of Surfside beginning May 12, 2021, regarding the condominiums plans for the recertification construction that needed to be completed as this year was when their legally required 40-year inspection was due. Emails detailing the scope of the project and the desire to complete it urgently were received by the town, however no official applications for the construction project were submitted by Champlain Towers.

Website: Click Here

 

Title: 2018-2019 Building Officials Emails – Champlain South

Date: March 2018 – May 20 2019

Summary:

Email Correspondence between the Building Department for the Town of Surfside and Champlain South regarding construction work and permits on the building. The 2018 Structural Engineer Report detailing damage and work required on the building to the balconies, garage area and other parts of the building that were not up to code for the 40-year recertification inspection.

Website: Click Here

 

Title: Morabito Consultants Structural Engineers Report

Date: October 8, 2018

Summary:

A summary of the report on the structural integrity of the136-unit building, the below parking garage, at-grade exterior entrance drive, pool and recreation area to assess the extent of structural issues that require repair/remediation in the immediate and near future and provide an estimate on costs for construction and repairs on the issues the arose.

Website: Click Here

Articles:

Title:  As engineer hunt for answers in the surfside building collapse, signs point to the building’s lower reaches

Date: June 28, 2021

Summary:

Early signs point to failure in the lower past of the building, possibly the foundation, columns, or underground parking garage. Further speculation indicates that the collapse was likely related to foundational and structural issues influenced by 40 years of exposure to salt and water.

Website: Click Here

 

Title: Material used in Surfside condo’s foundation could be key in finding the cause, expert says

Date: July 11, 2021

Summary:

The south tower of the Champlain Towers Condominium collapsed whereas the north did not, yet both had the same architect, developer and were built around the same time. Allyn Kilshiemer, owner of Washington DC based KCE Structural engineers, noted that the towers had two different structural engineers, resulted in two different foundation materials. The north building called for precast concrete piles, where as the south called for precast concrete piles or pressure injected footings. Different foundations can degrade and respond to the environment differently. With that difference in mind, it is the opinion of the engineer that there are many factors that resulted in the collapse and there is not enough evidence to establish a firm conclusion on the cause.

Website: Click Here

Title: Champlain Towers South insurers gear up for legal claims

Date: June 30, 2021

Summary:

As of July 5th, three residents filed lawsuits against the condo association for negligence to keep the building in a safe condition. Some insurance companies have agreed to pay out the full amount of the policy to help satisfy claims tied to pending litigation and lawsuits.

Website: Click Here

Title: Surfside inspectors visited Champlain Towers South dozens of times. Now its collapse is spurring calls for reform

Date: July 14, 2021

Summary:

Discusses the flaws in system currently in place regarding inspections. Between January 2018 and August 2019 town employees conducted 177 inspections at Champlain Towers South. Commentary also regarding the priorities and incentives of Florida’s building regulations as towns and cities collect fees from permits and permit-related inspections. Larger reviews of structural safety are the responsibility of property owners.

Website: Click Here

 

Title: Collapsed Florida tower could have been repaired faster under repealed law, experts say

Date: July 8, 2021

Summary:

The Champlain Towers South Condominium Association required $16.2 million to fix structural damage. Association had around $777,000 in its reserve fund. Champlain Towers South had not had a professional reserve fund study conducted since at least 2016. The 2008 law required condo associations to hire engineers or architects to submit reports every 5 years regarding the cost to keep up with repairs.

Website: Click Here

 

Title: Majority of Florida condo board quit in 2019 as squabbling residents dragged out plans for repairs

Date: June 30, 2021

Summary:

Five of the seven-member board for the Champlain Towers condominium resigned within a two-week period in the fall of 2019 over debates amongst the unit owners about the multimillion-dollar repairs detailed in the Morabito report.

Website: Click Here

 

Title: Liability from Florida condo collapse: everyone will ‘blame everybody else’

Date: July 6, 2021

Summary:

Years of litigation is likely to be set off as the victims and their families search for who is at fault among the engineers, architects, contractors, association, and owners. The likely finger pointing and a current trend in Florida laws will make seeking justice complicated. The current presumption is failed maintenance.

Website: Click Here

 

Title: Could a Florida Condo Collapse Happen in Ontario?

Date: July 20, 2021

Summary:

Ontario condo laws are more engaged and interventionist than Florida condo laws. In the Miami-Dade County the first building study is conducted 40 years after it was built, whereas in Ontario the Reserve Fund Study is conducted within its first year of incorporation in order to establish a Reserve Fund that would be able to pay for any damages or repairs the condo would need.

Website: Click Here