What are licensed engineers and architects finding after inspecting condominium buildings? Three complexes in Palm Beach County offer examples of the type of work that needs to be done to keep them safe.

The state's new law, SB 4-D, was adopted after the deadly collapse of the Champlain Tower South in Surfside that killed 98 people in 2021. It requires a "milestone inspection" or an initial inspection of each building with a height of three stories or more by Dec. 31, 2024, in which the building reaches 30 years of age, and again every 10 years thereafter.

The law also requires a Structural Integrity Reserve Study (SIRS) to determine what short-term and long-range repairs are necessary. It no longer allows an association to waive setting up financial reserves for those future repairs, as was done at Champlain Towers.

Here's what inspections found in these three condo communities:

Huntington Lakes: Cracks on catwalks, issues with flat roofs on building

Huntington Lakes Building 9 was built in 1981 within the Villages of Oriole in an unincorporated area of Palm Beach County west of Delray Beach. It is a four-story structure with 32 units.

Hellas Engineering found issues that require a Phase Two inspection. Among the issues were:

  • Structural deterioration in isolated areas of balconies.

  • Stress cracking on catwalks.

  • Cracking on exterior walls.

  • Existing balcony enclosures and picket railings need to be replaced with code-compliant railings.

  • All flat roof systems should be replaced.

Inspectors found evidence of standing water on the roof of a building at Huntingdon Lakes, west of Delray Beach. If not repaired, it could cause serious structural damage.

The Phase Two inspection will determine what repairs should be undertaken and what the costs of doing them will be.

 

Lake Clark Gardens Condominium

The standing water on the roof was of particular concern to the inspector, who noted that it could cause water to leak into the building elements and areas below, causing damage.

According to a series of questions and answers posted on its website, the complex reported that the bill for the milestone inspection was more than $80,000 and that the community will need $8.8 million to fund its reserves fully so that necessary maintenance can be done. The association explained that its failure to fund its reserves fully in the past means that it "now has to catch up" and address the shortfall. Repeated efforts to obtain comment from Lake Shores board members were unsuccessful. Palm Beach County Commissioner Michael Barnett invited Palm Beach Post reporters to attend a town hall meeting held at the condo's auditorium on Oct. 7. Despite the invitation, a board member ordered reporters to leave, saying the session was private.

Lake Clarke Gardens will need to make repairs to address concerns raised during a safety inspection earlier this year.

Plaza of the Palm Beaches: Parts of a swimming pool, spa need to be replaced

The Plaza of The Palm Beaches, formerly known as Trump Plaza, needs some urgent care on the 525 S. Flagler Drive property.

The 38-year-old complex consists of two 32-story towers with Intracoastal Waterway and ocean views. It was one of the earliest luxury high-rise structures in downtown West Palm Beach. It has two pools, a spa, a fitness center and a parking garage.

But like so many other buildings, some of the necessary maintenance was deferred, and now owners are paying the price.

A 119-page Phase One inspection report, prepared by Boynton Beach-based SRI Consultants, found areas of degradation on balconies, in the basement garage and on the amenities deck. Also observed was "separation cracking" at the connections of parapet walls to building walls. Parts of a swimming pool and spa will need to be demolished. The inspector called for "immediate remediation measures" to address those issues.

Plaza of the Palm Beaches, former Trump Plaza, will need to undergo a Phase Two safety inspection to determine what repairs are needed.

While the towers are safe to live in, the building will need to undergo a more stringent Phase Two inspection to identify the necessary repairs. Owners are expected to be hit with a special assessment for a multimillion dollar repair bill.


"Any delay in action will result in continued exposure to the conditions that caused the distress, and thus may result in continued structural degradation," according to the report, which also found problems in the east pool that need to be addressed. Management at the Plaza declined to comment on the extent of repairs that will be needed.