JENSEN BEACH, Fla. — A formal written report on the problems facing three condo buildings in Jensen Beach will take several weeks to complete, according to a letter from the inspector sent to county officials on Tuesday.
The letter, which WPTV's Ethan Stein obtained from a public records request, said the inspector must take additional photos of the damage to complete the report. But, he can't take photos until emergency shoring is complete.
“In my professional opinion, the structural integrity of these key members has been severely compromised,” read a part of the signed notice from Alvarez.
He then listed his findings including cracks in the foundation and large pieces of reinforced concrete that could be removed by hand. He also said one space in a crawl space lost over 90% section loss of steel reinforcement.
These findings coincide with the videos WPTV was able to gain access to yesterday from a public records request.
WATCH VIDEO BELOW FROM THE INSPECTORS:
Building 3:
Building 4:
Building 5:
These inspections are called "Phase 1 Milestone Inspections" and are required by laws passed after the Surfside condominium collapse in 2021.
Flynn Fidgeon, who is a spokesperson for St. Lucie County, said he believes it's likely these buildings had multiple phase 1 milestone inspections. WPTV's Ethan Stein reached out to the property management company for a response and is still waiting for comment.
Board Members told him they weren't familiar with any issues with the building's foundation before the most recent inspection on Thursday.
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Alvarez said in the letter that he notified St. Lucie County Fire Marshal, Property Manager Stephanie Bualat and General Contractor James Gallo of the unsafe building conditions and the recommendation of the immediate evacuation of the three buildings totaling in 11 residents.
AB Plus received authorization from Villa Del Sol on Aug. 12 to prepare additional photographic documentation and provide a more detailed report. According to Alvarez’s letter, the report could take several weeks to complete as emergency shoring has to be installed before regaining access to the building’s crawl space for further documentation.
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“Given the severity of these conditions, and in compliance with my duty as a licensed professional engineer, my immediate concern was the safety of the residents of buildings 3, 4, and 5, as well as the safety of the general public,” Alvarez wrote in the statement.
