Archinect - News

12-floor residential building collapses in Miami, leaving at least four dead and 159 missing

2021-06-24T12:12:00-04:00

Author note: this article was published on June 24th, one day after the building collapsed. The final number of people who were killed, injured, or affected by the collapse may therefore be revised from the figures noted in this article.

A twelve-floor residential building in Miami, Florida has partially collapsed, killing at least one person and injuring ten others. Images circulated by national and international press show piles of rubble and debris at the foot of the back end of the apartment building, which collapsed at approximately 02:00 ET. Miami-Dade County Fire Department says that 55 units in the northeast sector of the building collapsed, with 35 survivors rescued thus far. The cause of the collapse is unknown.

More than 80 rescue units are aiding a search and rescue effort at the scene, situated at 8777 Collins Avenue, a few miles north of Miami Beach. During a news conference after the incident, Surfside mayor Charles Burkett confirmed one person had died, but that th...

Berkeley balcony collapse investigation: no criminal charges from the DA, but five contractors could face license revocation

2016-04-19T17:25:00-04:00

The Californian district attorney investigating a balcony collapse that killed six students – five Irish and one Irish American – and seriously injured seven others in June last year has said she will not be bringing manslaughter charges because a successful prosecution seems unlikely.

"But another state agency, California’s Contractors State License Board (CSLB), has determined that five contractors involved in building the balcony probably violated California law, and has submitted its findings to the state’s Attorney General’s office. The move could lead to the suspension or revocation of the contractors’ licenses."

The tragic Berkeley balcony collapse previously in the Archinect news:

13 lawsuits emerge after deadly balcony collapse in Berkeley

2015-11-16T18:51:00-05:00

The lawsuits make disturbing allegations that the balcony was poorly constructed, sustained dry rot to the point of growing mushrooms and officials at the apartment complex knew about the dangers, but failed to fix them. [...] The lawsuits allege the builders cut corners to save money, that a subcontractor did not use plywood called for in the plans, but cheaper oriented strand board that is more susceptible to water damage and dry rot.

After a balcony collapse at the Library Gardens apartment complex in Berkeley, CA killed six and injured seven others in June, the city has tightened building codes and began a forensic inspection into the balcony's construction. Lawsuits have since been filed against Segue Construction (the complex's builders and sub-contractors), Blackrock Investment (current Library Gardens owner) and Greystar (the complex's property management firm), among others involved in the building's construction.

The lawsuits, filed by the surviving victims and their families, allege that the balcony wasn't properly waterproofed:

The builder framed the balcony in Oct. 2005, but did not waterproof it right away. The next two months, the bare wood was exposed to more than 13 inches of rainfall. It was a wet winter.

The lawsuits say, that January, "These defendants consciously chose to waterproof and complete construction of the balcony for apartment 405, without correcting the water saturated wood components."...

After deadly balcony collapse, Berkeley building and safety codes tighten

2015-07-17T18:29:00-04:00

Balconies in Berkeley must now pass a safety inspection every three years, and new ones must be built of rot-proof wood or steel, under measures passed Tuesday as the campus community addresses the deaths last month of six young people and grave injury of seven more. [...] With pressure from one council member and the lawyer for one of those killed in the June 16 tragedy, the City Council agreed to shorten the time between mandatory inspections [from five] to three years.

The deadly balcony collapse that took place almost exactly a month ago today prompted an investigation into Berkeley's building codes and safety inspections, culminating in this new inspection practice. Primary in the discussion of safe and best building practices here on Archinect was the use of wood, especially in climates where water can drastically compromise a building's integrity.

We discuss the delicate balancing of liability among city building departments, victims and building owners on episode #36 of Archinect Sessions.

For background on the balcony collapse in Berkeley, California:

Poor Doors of Perception: discriminatory design, collapsing balconies, and virtual realities on Archinect Sessions #36

2015-07-02T20:11:00-04:00

This week, we dip into the swamp of whether so-called "poor doors" (separate entrances for affordable and market-rate housing tenants) are discriminatory, highlighting discussion points made in the wake of New York's decision to make them illegal. We also follow up on the investigation into a balcony collapse in Berkeley, California that led to six deaths, and ask Brian Newman, Archinect Sessions' Legal Correspondent, what legal recourse is possible for everyone involved.

Virtual built environment wizards Thomas Hirschmann and Anthony Murray, founders of documentation and preservation firm The Third Fate, also join us for an interview. Their work seeks to document, preserve and activate the built environment through virtual realities.

Listen to episode thirty-six of Archinect Sessions, "Poor Doors of Perception":

iTunes: Click here to listen, and click the "Subscribe" button below the logo to automatically download new episodes.
Apple Podcast App (iOS): click here to subscribe
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Dry rot to blame for Berkeley balcony collapse; existing building codes called into question

2015-06-24T21:05:00-04:00

In a report released a week after the incident, officials with Berkeley’s Building and Safety Division confirmed suspicions that dry rot had deteriorated the wood beams supporting the balcony. They also said they found no construction code violations.

It's been a week since the tragic balcony collapse occurred, and while the victims' families try to cope with the grief, experts have been searching frantically for the cause of the accident. Was the fault in the structural design? Is the contractor to blame for poor execution? Speculations quickly ran wild, and the comment section of Archinect's news post quickly flared up.

The newly released report seems to have determined the cause of the collapse, but the debate on how to improve existing building codes (and properly enforce them) has just begun.

6 dead after Berkeley balcony collapses

2015-06-16T17:51:00-04:00

Berkeley city officials have shut down access to public records regarding the construction of the apartment complex, which was completed in January 2007. Normally, they would be viewable upon request, but zoning office staff cited a pending police investigation and a request by the Berkeley city manager that the records not be made immediately available.

The fifth-floor balcony collapsed early morning Tuesday, in the midst of a birthday celebration for one of the victims. At the time of collapse, there were reportedly thirteen people on the balcony; the seven who survived the fall now face life-threatening injuries. Of the six dead, five were Irish citizens, living or working in the Bay Area for the summer.

Library Gardens apartments, where the collapse occurred, was completed eight years ago, and typically houses students and faculty of nearby University of California, Berkeley. As victims were identified and families notified, the collapse quickly became international news, and a police investigation into the building's safety is pending. Historically, the Bay Area has been a popular destination for Irish students to spend a summer abroad – it's unclear what effect this tragic event will have on future exchanges.

Update: Dry rot could be factor in Berkeley balcony collapse, engineers say (via LA Times)