‘Major error’ was flagged in 2018 inspection report of collapsed building near Miami Beach

In a 2018 report about the Champlain Towers South Condo in Surfside, an engineer flagged a “major error” dating back to the building’s origin where lack of proper drainage on the pool deck had caused “major structural damage,” according to records released by town officials in the wake of the tower’s disastrous collapse on Thursday.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether the “major error” could have ultimately contributed to the building’s catastrophic collapse. As of Saturday evening the official death toll stood at five, although that was certain to spike with 156 people still unaccounted for. It was feared that scores of bodies remained trapped under tons of rubble.

The report didn’t specifically indicate that the building was at risk of collapse. But a host of concerns were laid out in the October 2018 “Structural Field Survey Report,” produced for the condo association by engineer Frank Morabito of Morabito Consultants. Morabito wrote that the “main issue” at Champlain Towers was that the pool deck and outdoor planters “laid on a flat structure” preventing water from draining. The lack of waterproofing was “a systemic issue” that traced back to a flaw “in the development of the original contract documents” 40 years ago, the report said.

Those original documents were prepared by William M. Friedman & Associates Architects, Inc., and Breiterman Jurado & Associates. Representatives for the firms could not be reached for comment Saturday.

The report documented how the years of standing water on the pool deck had severely damaged the concrete structural slabs below. The problem needed to be addressed quickly, Morabito wrote.

“Failure to replace waterproofing in the near future will cause the extent of the concrete deterioration to expand exponentially,” he wrote. The proper repair would be an “extremely expensive” undertaking, he warned.

“[R]emoval of the concrete topping slab to gain access to the waterproofing membrane will take time, be disruptive and create a major disturbance to the occupants of this condominium structure,” the report said.

The parking garage under the pool deck and planter slabs also “revealed signs of distress/fatigue,” according to Morabito’s report. “Several sizable [cracks in the concrete] were noted in both the topside of the entrance drive ramp and underside of the pool/entrance drive/planter slabs, which included instances with exposed, deteriorating rebar,” according to the report.

“Though some of this damage is minor, most of the concrete deterioration needs to be repaired in a timely fashion,” the report said.

The estimated cost of repair and restoration work at the building totaled over $9 million, according to 2018 documents from Morabito’s firm.

Morabito noted that previous attempts by other contractors to repair cracks in the garage “were ineffective” and didn’t fix the problem.

In preliminary plans to repair and restore the building as part of a 40-year recertification process that were prepared in late spring 2021, his firm recommended significant concrete repairs at the pool area as well as foundation walls. The 40-year recertification is required of large condos and many other structures in Miami-Dade.

In a statement put out Saturday, Morabito Consultants confirmed it had been hired in 2018 to help the condo association prepare for the 40-year recertification, and again this year to create a more detailed plan for repair and restoration work.

“Among other things, our report detailed significant cracks and breaks in the concrete, which required repairs to ensure the safety of the residents and the public,” the statement said.

The group, which provided engineering consulting but was not responsible for the construction work, said at the time of the collapse repairs on the roof were underway, but concrete restoration had not yet begun.

“We are deeply troubled by this building collapse and are working closely with the investigating authorities to understand why the structure failed. As we do so, we also continue to pray for all those impacted by this tragic event,” the statement said.

Records released Saturday by Surfside show that the 2018 report was forwarded to the town’s building official at the time, Ross Prieto, by a member of the Champlain condo board, Mara Chouela. It wasn’t immediately clear why the board member had shared the document with Prieto; there was no requirement that the report be provided to the town.

The condo association was required to furnish a final 40-year recertification report to Surfside this year, but the town had not yet received it, according to current Surfside building official James McGuinness.

In addition to the recertification plan and 2018 report, records released late Friday show that the building had received at least three construction permits since mid-May, including for a repair of the roof, electrical repairs and installation of roof safety anchors to support window washers. The permit for the anchors was issued just Wednesday.

Surfside Town Clerk Sandra McCready said in an email to the Miami Herald that the records were only “those compiled to date” and suggested that more would be available in the future.

Among the other records released Friday were the original building plans submitted in 1979.

Miami Herald staff writers Alex Harris, Dana Cassidy and Martin Vassolo and el Nuevo Herald staff writer Ana Claudia Chacin contributed to this report.