About 60 high-rise condominium managers and residents attended a meeting to discuss the building collapse in Florida and if it can happen here.
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
MARGATE Absecon Island high-rise building managers and residents attended a special meeting held Tuesday afternoon in the community room at 9600 Condominiums to learn what they can do to protect their financial interests and prevent a catastrophe like the one in Surfside, Florida.
More than 97 bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of the 17-story high-rise that collapsed June 24 for a reason that has yet to be determined. Although media reports have cited various problems with the building, it may take months to find out why the building fell, structural engineers who attended the special meeting said.
In a release, Gov. Phil Murphy called the Florida collapse a sobering reminder that inspections and enforcement are tools that keep people safe.
New Jersey's building codes are among the strongest in the nation, and our residents can rest assured that the Department of Community Affairs goes above and beyond the nationwide standard, he said. Through continued vigilance, we can prevent tragedies and save lives.
New Jersey municipalities are required to follow the national Uniform Construction Code, which regulates plumbing, electrical, fire protection, energy, mechanical, fuel gas, rehabilitation, barrier-free, asbestos, radon, and elevators.
The meeting was called to allay fears of residents who upon seeing minor problems in their own buildings think it could happen here.
Is this building ever going anywhere, 9600 Manager Sharon Ianoale asked the professionals on the panel.
No, responded structural engineer Alan Roth, president of Joseph B. Callaghan, Inc. of Philadelphia, who inspects buildings from western Pennsylvania to the Jersey shore.
Attendees learned the best way to protect the interests of the property owners is to keep up with maintenance, get periodic inspections to determine structural integrity, and appraisals to ensure proper insurance coverage. One was recently completed at 9600, which showed the building is sound with a few minor issues that will be repaired by masonry restoration company, Watts Restoration of Feasterville, Pennsylvania.
Roth said there is a three-tiered system for periodic inspections: a visual inspection of the facade perimeter, inspection of localized problem areas, and a total building integrity inspection, which includes inspection of all major components, such as mechanical and pump rooms, and stair towers.
That's when you look for anything that suggests movement, settlement or a change in pattern, he said.
Inspections are done by a qualified engineer with a general walk around or the use of drones to find any spauling or major cracks.
We've seen enough to determine if it needs a look further, he said.
In the recent inspection at 9600, certified engineers inspected each balcony up close by repelling off three sides of the building, Ianoale said.
The best way to avoid problems is to avoid overly deferred maintenance, Watts said.
A resident in the audience questioned liability and loss in the event of a collapse.
Do we have exposure, he asked.
Kevin McDonough, vice president of high-rise building insurer Dickstein Associates Agency, noted that collapse coverage is included in most policies, but additional insurance is needed to cover demolition of additional towers.
That building (in Surfside) was way beyond catastrophic loss and will not have enough insurance to ever see it rebuilt, he said.
The best way to ensure that at least 80% of the cost of reconstruction is covered is to have a recent appraisal, which he suggests be done along with periodic inspections to ascertain the structural integrity. Homeowner associations would be responsible for raising the remaining 20% through assessments or reserves.
After Hurricane Sandy, many appraisals were way off and it's hard to find a good appraiser. You should look at your coverage limits to determine if they are adequate, he said.
Part of the problem to obtaining accurate appraisals is the age of the buildings and lack of original plans that would include the original geotechnical studies showing if the building was erected on top of bedrock or limestone, which can be inundated with water over many years. Absecon Island is part of the Coastal Plain, a gigantic wedge of sand that may not be tied to bedrock, said one professional attending via Zoom.
Participants learned that steel pilings can last up to 200 years without corrosion.
One building manager asked if there were any new technologies that could enhance visual inspections to below ground level.
Roth said there is GPR, grade penetrating radar, and x-rays available that can see what's happening below the surface, but they are not simple to use and are rarely used.
The panel recommended condo owners who may not have mortgages that require it, maintain the maximum insurance coverage to cover repairs to the inside of their units.
The big takeaway from the meeting was that condo residents need to go back to their lives and not fear a building collapse.
The governor's release said the DCA's Bureau of Housing Inspection requires cyclical inspections of multi-family buildings to ensure they are being properly maintained and meet health and safety standards. The inspections include a visual look at foundation and structural members of the building that are accessible. If violations are discovered, DCA inspectors will require repairs, and conduct a follow-up inspection to ensure violations are abated.
When asked if there should be a local or state regulation about conducting periodic structural integrity inspections, panelists said that advocacy for such a rule would need to come from the grass-roots level, but cautioned that for every safety rule, there is an equal and opposite reaction from condo associations trying to avoid additional costs.
Several building managers said they would support such a law to maintain safety, but cautioned that if the state gets involved, it will cost more.
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