A 58-story skyscraper in San Francisco is tilting and sinking — but the city says it's safe to live in
(Millennium Tower has sunk 16 inches and tilted two inches since it opened in 2009.Vanguard Properties)
There's good news for the wealthy tenants of Millennium Tower, San Francisco's very own leaning tower.
An inspection by the city's Department of Building Inspection concluded that the skyscraper, which has sunk 16 inches and tilted two inches since it opened in 2009, is safe to live in, according to The San Francisco Chronicle.
"There was no evidence of life-safety concerns observed during the inspection," the report stated. "The building is safe to occupy at this time."
The $350 million tower is home to over 400 multimillion-dollar condos and some pretty famous residents, including former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana. In December, former tech executive Craig Ramsey scooped up the penthouse for $13 million.
The building has been embroiled in scandal for months, as its developers, residents, and city officials argued over who was at fault for the building's surprising vertical settlement. Homeowners have filed multiple class-action lawsuits against the developer, Millennium Partners, as well as the city, for not bringing the issue to their attention earlier.
The city conducted inspections on two dates, December 2 and January 11, and found that the building is safe to occupy. However, inspectors also found visual evidence of stress on the electrical wiring support systems and water intrusion in the fifth level of the basement.
(A team of engineering geologists examines soil samples taken outside the Millennium Tower in San Francisco.Eric Risberg/AP)
Jerry Dodson, a resident and an attorney who represent some of the homeowners in a lawsuit, told The San Francisco Chronicle that the city report does not provide sufficient evidence of the building's safety. The homeowners association commissioned an independent geotechnical study that is currently underway.
Millennium Tower is likely to continue to sink at a rate of two inches per year — double what engineers earlier estimated, according to an AP report.
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