Metropolis of North Miami Seashore Orders Rapid Closure and Evacuation of 156 Unit Condominiums – CBS Miami

NORTH MIAMI BEACH – A building recertification audit in North Miami Beach has resulted in the immediate closure of The Crestview Towers residential complex and evacuation of residents.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE BUILDING INSPECTION REPORT

CONTINUE READING: SEE IT: Remaining portion of the collapsed Surfside building demolished due to safety concerns

“What they say is safety first, knowing about it today or this afternoon, they had to shut everything down,” said Harold Dauphin, one of the 100+ residents who live in Crestview Towers Condo. And with everything shutting down, Dauphin is referring to the evacuation order issued for its 10-story, 156-unit condominium building on the 2000 block of NE 164th Street in North Miami Beach.

“When I got home, I felt all this excitement and it was then that I realized I had to get out. The police are standing in front of our doors so that you can grab everything in the short time, because we have to get out, they don’t leave your door until you are out, ”added Dauphin.

The city of North Miami Beach ordered the evacuation out of the greatest caution following the fatal collapse of the Surfside apartment after receiving an engineering report for the apartment’s 40-year inspection certification that revealed several safety concerns.

“Crestview Tower submitted a real certification report on January 11, 2021, in which an engineer hired by the housing association concluded that the 156-unit building was structurally and electrically safe,” said City Director Arthur H. Sorey, III.

City officials say the report documents cracks in concrete berms, pillars, slabs and walls, as well as several electrical panels in need of repair, which is why the building was classified as unsafe. News that came as a surprise to some local residents saying they saw nothing wrong.

“I rent and I don’t know what’s going on here, nobody tells me what’s going on here. That was a surprise, I thought the building was fine, ”said Silvio Martinez, resident of the Crestview Tower.

CONTINUE READING: Surfside Condo Collapse: Miami-Dade Mayor confirms the demolition will take place between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m.

But others like Ebony Stvil disagreed.

“My friend lived there and told me that a lot of things weren’t fixed and that certain things were leaking and certain things just weren’t being done,” added Stvil.

Saskia M, agreed.

“I’ve seen something with the electrics, like the lights going out, it was strange, but I have a feeling the building wasn’t unsafe.”

Still others like Dauphin said, although he didn’t know there was a concern, the building was showing signs of wear and tear.

“If you walk around you will see a few cracks on the walls and things they say they want to fix or fix, but again, nobody knew it was unsafe. I didn’t know the building has been unsafe since January and now it’s July 2nd, it doesn’t make sense, six months later and you know it was unsafe. So I understand the city’s call to close it, ”said Dauphin.

City officials said they didn’t learn about the Jan. 11 report until after they initiated the recertification audit of the building, which began because of the Surfside collapse. Officials say that based on the exam, Crestview Towers found that it failed to submit its recertification documents.

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They say after several inquiries, the apartment finally submitted the report on July 2nd and the building closed hours later.