The discovery of structural issues led to the evacuation of a fourplex at 3400 Sixth Ave., Holmes Beach.
Building official Neal Schwartz told The Islander July 16 that the city closed the building and posted signs stating it was “unfit for habitation” after cracks on second-floor, exterior balconies were discovered.
Schwartz said the issues were first reported around noon by an AC repair worker who heard cracking while working in the parking area under the building.
“He went into the backyard … looked up and saw some separation of where the balcony is from the structure,” he said.
Schwartz said he and three city building inspectors responded to the scene and reviewed the damage.
They called West Manatee Fire Rescue fire marshal Rodney Kwiatkowski, who deemed the situation “life-threatening” and gained access to inspect the building — the same process used to enter a property where a balcony collapsed in late June.
Schwartz and the building inspectors searched the four units at the property and found several cracks in the stucco and damaged wood around two second-floor balconies.
“We looked at all four units and came to the same conclusion: we need to get a structural engineer out there ASAP to determine cause and effect and reach a conclusion on how it can be repaired,” Schwartz said.
Eran Wasserman, the city’s director of development services, said staff explained the situation to the owners of each unit.
“The owners and board — because I was talking to the president of the condo association — agreed to voluntarily leave the four units … and stay away from those units until we get a structural engineer report,” Schwartz added.
The building is one of two identical neighboring fourplexes at 3402 Sixth Ave. in the FountainHead Condominium Owners Association.
Schwartz said the condo association’s board agreed to have a structural engineer inspect the north building.
“We looked at the north building and we didn’t see any visual problems. … But, since the engineer is there, it’s a good idea just to do an inspection of that,” he said.
Wasserman said that while the buildings are identical, issues such as those found at 3400 Sixth Ave. are often the result of a lack of maintenance and repair work — not building flaws.