Myrtle Beach relies on strict building codes and fire inspections to prevent skyscraper collapse | Myrtle Beach
[ad_1]
MYRTLE BEACH – Strict building codes and regular fire inspections are what the town of Myrtle Beach is relying on to prevent the collapse of one of its skyscrapers similar to the one that collapsed on the 24th June in Florida.
“This is when the strict inspections of materials and workmanship take place,” said Mark Kruea, the city’s building codes spokesperson.
As of June 29, at least 11 people had been killed and more than 150 people were missing in the building collapse that occurred in the Florida mixed-use condominium.
The Surfside Florida Condominium was built in 1981, was 12 stories tall and was 160 feet tall. Of the 20 tallest buildings in Myrtle Beach, all but one were built after 1981 – the Sur-Mer Houses at 9650 Shore Drive were built in 1975. The tallest building in town – Margate Tower at 8500 Margate Circle – has 29 stories and stands 329 feet tall, according to Emporis, a data collection agency on buildings of high public and economic value.
Kruea said the structural strength of tall buildings has been a hot topic in the construction industry since the building collapse, but called the collapse “very unusual.” In Myrtle Beach, he said there are no requirements for post-construction inspections, either state or local, unless the city is made aware of a problem or receives a complaint. or an investigation of a problem.
“… Enforcement of the code (meeting personal safety standards) is a top priority for Myrtle Beach,” Kruea wrote in an email. “We do regular fire inspections, but the whole point of a strong building code (that we have) is to make sure the building is constructed correctly, using the correct materials, in the first place.”
Inspections of high-rise buildings, new and existing, are the responsibility of local building and fire code officials in South Carolina, according to the state’s Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulations.
Tallest buildings in Myrtle Beach
Rank | Building | Soils | Height | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Margate Tower | 29 | 329 feet | 2004 |
2 | Ocean 22 by Hilton Grand Vacations Club | 24 | 257 feet | 2015 |
3 | Royal Palms Condominiums | 24 | 256 feet | 2007 |
4 | Maisons-sur-Mer | 25 | 240 feet | 1975 |
5 | The Hotel du Palais | 23 | 227 feet | 1987 |
6 | Ocean Forest Square | 23 | 217 feet | 1986 |
7 | Anderson Ocean Club | 21 | 199 feet | 2007 |
8 | Paradise Resort | 20 | 198 feet | 2006 |
9 | Barcelona tour | 14 | 155 feet | 2006 |
ten | Large dunes | ten | 125 feet | 2007 |
11 | The Myrtle Beach Resort | 22 | â246 feet | 1984 |
12 | Beach Colony Resort Tour I | 22 | â246 feet | 1986 |
13 | Brighton Tower | 21 | 235 feet | 2000 |
14 | Oceans One Phase I | 20 | 224 feet | 2008 |
15 | Large hotel complex facing the Atlantic Ocean | 20 | 224 feet | 2006 |
16 | Caroline Grande | 20 | 224 feet | 2006 |
17 | Carolinian Beach Resort I | 20 | 224 feet | 2004 |
18 | The Breakers Resort Paradise building | 20 | 224 feet | 2002 |
19 | South Bay Inn & Suites | 20 | 224 feet | 2018 |
20 | Caribbean Resort Cayman Tower | 20 | 224 feet | 2007 |
The SC Building Codes Council is responsible for adopting the state’s minimum building and fire codes. The law requires every municipality and county to apply these codes. It requires the appointment of a building code official and other inspectors as needed to fulfill these responsibilities, according to the LLR.
Although the State Fire Marshal has authority over all buildings in South Carolina, he does not perform structural integrity inspections of buildings.
In Florida, Broward and Miami-Dade have adopted the 40-Year Building Safety Inspection Program, which requires all 40-year-old commercial properties to undergo a property assessment by a professional structural engineer. In South Carolina, however, there is no statewide 40-year rule.
Scientists and engineers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology will work to determine the cause of the collapse. Testimonies in Florida have reported seeing feet of standing water after storms over the years, a not uncommon sight along the Grand Strand.
Warning signs of cracking and settling at the Florida site were reported years ago. Kruea said Myrtle Beach reacts “quickly to reports of problems and certainly reacts whenever we see a problem.”
“Buildings could (and) should be deemed uninhabitable if structural deficiencies are found,” Kruea wrote. “But, in the absence of any sign of actual structural failure – such as cracking, settling, falling plaster, falling construction parts, etc. – a thorough and serious post-construction inspection would require material removal. important to see inside the building foundations and supports.
“It’s not a small job and it’s probably not a job that could be done when a building is occupied.”
One of the challenges Florida faces is the mixed use of the building – a mix of tenants, permanent residents, and second home owners. Most of the high rise buildings in Myrtle Beach also have the same makeup.
Currently, beyond the Myrtle Beach hotels that maintain guest registers, it is not known when permanent residents or second home owners are in their properties.
âTracking the daily occupancy of a condominium or apartment building would be a challenge⦠I think,â Kruea said. “The Florida collapse may spark the kind of conversations you suggest among state lawmakers around the world; changes, if any, will be implemented remain to be seen.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
[ad_2]