Who owns Crestview Towers? Miami beach condo evacuated as building is 'unsafe'
After the devastating collapse of Champlain Towers in Surfside, Miami, another beach condominium in North Miami has been found to be 'structurally and electrically unsafe'. Following the audit and inspection, the building was closed down immediately by the city of North Miami Beach. The residents were ordered to be evacuated at the earliest. According to the latest reports by Miami Herald, the North Miami Beach police and the American Red Cross are helping with the evacuation process and arranging temporary shelters for the displaced residents.
Crestview Towers, located at 2025 NE 164th Street, came under the purview of immediate inspection as per the latest order. North Miami Beach City Manager Arthur H Sorey III issued a statement about the building, saying, "In an abundance of caution, the City ordered the building closed immediately and the residents evacuated for their protection, while a full structural assessment is conducted and next steps are determined." Meanwhile, rescue operations are still ongoing at the site of the Surfside building collapse. While 20 people have been found dead, 128 are still missing.
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City manager Arthur Sorey mandated a review of condo high-rises above five stories that were 40 years old or older on June 29, 2021, following the Champlain Tower disaster. The audit was done to check whether the building complexes were in compliance with a 40-year recertification process. It was under this inspection that Crestview Towers was deemed unsafe. The building manager revealed a recertification report from January 11, 2021, where the engineer had ruled that the property was unsafe from structural and electrical aspects.
Built in 1972, the Crestview Towers currently had over 300 residents who are now being relocated urgently. It is believed that the building has 156 owners registered at present for the 156 apartment units. Barely 11 days ago, the Crestview Towers website published a list of 'Community Improvements' that were stipulated to be done as part of renovation efforts. The list included redoing of the roof, replacement of the generator and lighting, painting, flooring, and others.
In his statement, Sorey remarked, "Nothing is more important than the safety and lives of our residents, and we will not rest until we ensure this building is 100% safe."