Millennium Tower Foundation Is Sliding as Building Sinks and Tilts

>>> FROM BAD TO WORSE. THE LBLG MILLENNIUM TOWER IS NOT JUST SINKING, IT'S ALSO SLIDING. >> INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER JAXON VAN DERBEKEN HAS THE EXCLUSIVE STORY. >> I WAS ON SITE WITH THE EL VART COMPANY AND THE BUILDER TO EVALUATE THE ELEVATOR EQUIPMENT THAT HAD BEEN INSTALLED. TO CONFIRM THAT IT WAS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CONTRACT DOCUMENTS AND THE INTENT OF THE DESIGN. >> Reporter: BUT TODAY PART OF THAT ELEVATOR SYSTEM IS HAVING TROUBLE. HE SAYS HE'S NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT IN HIS 37 YEARS WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY. >> IT'S A HIGHLY UNUSUAL CONDITION. >> Reporter: THE CONDITION IT TURNS OUT IS A FUNCTION OF THE BUILDING NOT ONLY SINKING AND TILTING BUT SLIDING. IN DOCUMENTS OBTAINED BY NBC BAY AREA'S INVESTIGATIVE UNIT, HAMBURGER CALLED THE PHENOMENON HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT. HE ESTIMATES THE TOWER'S SLAB FOUNDATION HAS MOVED WEST A FULL INCH SINCE IT WAS BUILT, WIDEN BEING THE GAP BETWEEN THE HIGH RISE AND THE GARAGE ELEVATOR IT SHARES WITH THE ADJACENT BUILDING. HAMBURGER CALLS WHAT HE CALLS DIFFERENTIAL MOVEMENT OF THE TWO STRUCTURES. ONE INCH MAY NOT SOUND LIKE MUCH MOVEMENT, BUT WE WERE TAKEN TO ANOTHER PROJECT TO SHOW US WITH ELEVATORS, EVEN FRACTIONS OF ANCOUNT. AN INCH COUNT. HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE GAP BETWEEN THE MILLENNIUM TOWER AND THE ELEVATOR EXCEEDED A QUARTER. THE NEWLY-MODIFIED ELEVATOR SYSTEM NOW MEETS STATE STANDARDS, BUT THIS RECENT PHOTO TAKEN BY A RESIDENT INDICATES THE GAP IS STILL AT OR JUST ABOVE THE LEGAL LIMIT, LAST CERTIFIED IN 2019, THOSE ELEVATORS ARE DUE FOR ANNUAL INSPECTIONS, WHICH HE SAYS CAN TRIGGER CONSEQUENCES. >> IF THE INSPECTOR FINDS A CONDITION THAT HE CONSIDERS TO BE SERIOUS OR A DANGER, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE PRETTY BROAD AUTHORITY TO RED TAG OR LOCK AN ELEVATOR OUT OF SERVICE UNTIL WHAT THEY DEEM TO BE A DANGEROUS CONDITION IS CORRECTED. >> Reporter: HAMBURGER SAYS THE HORIZONTAL SLIDE NEVER CAUSED A SAFETY ISSUE. HE TOLD US IN A STATEMENT THE BUILDING IS NOT AT RISK DUE TO THIS MOVEMENT OR ANY MOVEMENT LIKELY TO OCCUR BEFORE CONSTRUCTION COMPLETION. THAT CONSTRUCTION HE REFERRED TO IS DESIGNED TO KEEP THE BUILDING FROM SINKING ANY FURTHER, BUT HE SAYS THE

Channel: NBC Bay Area

Views: 74,283

Keywords: millennium tower, san francisco, investigations, we investigate, jaxon van derbeken

Id: Uz_0Da5sLFw

Length: 3min 0sec (180 seconds)

Published: Thu Feb 24 2022