The Champlain Towers South tragedy has spurred a series of ongoing investigations. The Wall Street Journal has uncovered that those who oversaw planning and construction over 40 years ago made cost-saving choices that created long-term safety risks. These, coupled with water erosion that weakened the concrete structure, led to the collapse. In an article published on August 24, Jim Prichard, the firm’s Managing Partner, says the building codes were much laxer while the engineering science was less advanced.
“It is reasonable for people to be worried about this happening again because Champlain is not unlike many other buildings throughout the state,” said Jim.
Many of the key principals, including the lead architect, the structural engineer, and the contractor, have passed away. Town officials are still assessing the safety of the building.
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