By Mary Hladky
The city has received engineering firm reports on the first group of buildings required to undergo safety inspections under an ordinance enacted two months after the 2021 collapse of a Surfside condominium.
The 14 buildings, all located near the ocean, had to comply by Feb. 1.
As of Feb. 24, 11 of the buildings had submitted reports. Another was expected to comply soon.
If the city does not receive reports from the remaining two in a timely manner, city officials will take action to require them to comply.
A city spokeswoman said the reports are being reviewed by city staff members. They have not released an assessment of the buildings’ conditions but may do so after the review is completed, she said.
The Coastal Star reviewed reports submitted for eight of the buildings. All cited needed repairs, such as for concrete restoration, corrosion of mechanical equipment, exposed or corroded rebar and rusted railings.
Because the reports are technical, a reporter could not independently assess the buildings’ safety.
But the reports did not seem to indicate severe problems, and several noted that the buildings were in generally good condition. One said that residents could remain in the buildings while repairs are made.
Reports reviewed by The Coastal Star were for Sabal Point Apartments, 700 S. Ocean Blvd.; Atrium Association, 800 E. Camino Real; Newth Gardens Condominium at 1001, 1040 and 1099 Banyan Road; Royal Colonial Apartments, 1015 Spanish River Road; Cloister Del Mar Condominium, 1180 S. Ocean Blvd.; Cloister Beach Towers condominium, 1200 S. Ocean Blvd.; Ocean Reef Towers condominium, 2066 N. Ocean Blvd.; and TGM Oceana apartments, 2519 North Ocean Blvd.
The city has identified 191 buildings that meet the criteria for inspection, although some include multiple buildings. Single-family homes and duplexes are exempt.
Every three months, the city is sending out notices to more owners that their buildings must be inspected. Reports from the next group of buildings are due May 1. Unless changes are made, the last group of reports is due Nov. 1, 2026.
The city’s ordinance divides the city into four zones, with buildings on the barrier island receiving the highest priority for review. Other zones run from the Intracoastal Waterway to Dixie Highway, Dixie Highway to west of Interstate 95, and farther west of I-95.
Each zone was further divided into four groups based on building age in order to stagger inspection report due dates.
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