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A $120 million apartment complex has been criticized as one of the “worst buildings” a state building inspector has ever encountered.
The Crownview Wollongong luxury apartment complex, an eight-storey divided podium with a 20-storey tower on top, was inspected by NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler on February 15.
Chandler found a number of serious defects in the building, compounding a previous probation order from December 2022 that first questioned the building’s structural system.
Key stakeholders have been called to meet with Chandler to discuss the future of his 149 apartments, some of which have already been sold.
The complex was originally described as “a striking addition to Wollongong’s skyline” but is now in limbo after developers were ordered to stop work this week.
The Crownview Wollongong has been described as one of the “worst buildings” in New South Wales.
NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler conducted a follow-up inspection on February 15 and found serious defects.
The 2022 prohibition order prevented potential tenants from moving into the building until their problems were rectified, which never happened, Chandler said.
“This is an appalling building and one of the worst I have ever inspected,” Mr Chandler said.
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Seaforth, in northern Sydney, about 12km southeast of the CBD, is the most expensive suburb to rent in any Australian city.
‘The NSW Building Commission is working hard to improve the ability of the state’s construction industry to deliver the quantity and quality of housing the people of New South Wales need.
“To be successful in this effort, we must ensure that projects are built from the beginning and that any issues and defects are resolved early, long before occupants move in, so that homeowners do not have to take steps to fix defects. themselves”.
One of Mr Chandler’s main concerns had to do with cables within the building’s slabs that had been “stressed” after the concrete was placed.
Typically, the cables are injected with grout once the steel is stressed, but close inspection found that many were immersed in water instead of grout.
It is understood that parties interested in the building had already invested $37 million in an attempt to fix the problems found in December 2022.
New South Wales Construction Minister Anoulack Chanthivong he told the Daily Telegraph that an intervention in the building was necessary to avoid a disaster.
“This type of work not only poses a risk to the owners, but it can also be dangerous,” he said.
‘The lessons from buildings like Mascot Towers could not be clearer: intervening before a building is occupied can save years of distress and uncertainty.
Chandler said the building was “appalling” and called a meeting with key stakeholders to discuss its future.
Interested parties had already spent $37 million on building repairs since a December 2022 parole order.