More than a decade before William Friedman designed the collapsed Surfside condominium, Florida’s board of architecture suspended him for six months for designing structures that toppled during Hurricane Betsy. Sign pylons that were “an integral part of the structure” of a Miami commercial building failed during the 1965 storm, according to documents from the Florida State Board of Architecture, obtained by The Real Deal. — The Real Deal
In its order suspending Friedman, the Florida Board of Architecture wrote that the pylons were “insufficient and grossly inadequate” and were not in accordance “to accepted standards of architectural practice.” In 1966, the board found Friedman guilty of “gross incompetency, in that he negligently, improperly, and carelessly” designed the pylons. The architect’s suspension started on June 1, 1967 and ended on December 1 of that year.
This discovery adds to the list of controversies relating to the collapsed apartment complex, which includes a 2018 engineer’s report, warning of “major structural damage.” There currently isn’t evidence that Friedman’s design played a role in the collapse.
According to The Real Deal, this wasn’t the first time Friedman was questioned by the Florida Board of Architecture. Records show that he was examined for alleged plan stamping, an illegal practice by which a licensed architect stamps plans and drawings created by someone else. How this claim unfolded is unclear.
1 Comment
The Surfside Condominium collapse appears to be caused more by lack of good inspection and maintenance over the building's life, rather than by poor design. The building stood and functioned for 50 plus years in a salty humid environment. The building owner that ignored the 2018 engineer's report bears a good deal of the blame for the collapse and the resulting death of 98 souls.
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