Luxury apartments in a complex plagued by defects are still for sale despite a watchdog calling it one of the “worst buildings” ever inspected.
Crownview Wollongong, a $120 million development about 65 kilometers south of Sydney, was touted as “a striking addition to the Wollongong skyline” with an eight- and 20-storey tower situated atop a split podium.
However, construction has been complicated since an inspection by NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler in November 2022 resulted in a prohibition order citing structural issues.
Stakeholders invested $37 million in an attempt to fix those issues, but additional defects were discovered during efforts to rectify the original defects, resulting in a second prohibition order on February 12 of this year.
Mr Chandler inspected the development himself three days later, issuing a stop-work order and calling the building “appalling” and “one of the worst I have ever inspected”.
A video posted on social media showed that the building’s post-tensioned cables, which allowed builders to use thinner concrete slabs while still supporting the same weight, had not been installed correctly.
Individual apartments were decked out for having panoramic ocean views with high-end appliances and cost between $420,000 for a one-bedroom unit and $4.3 million for three bedrooms and a den, according to online listings.
The Crownview Wollongong (pictured) is a $120 million development about 65 kilometers south of Sydney.
Real estate listings for individual units promised panoramic ocean and city views (artist’s rendering pictured)
One-bedroom units sell for about $420,000, while a three-bedroom unit with a study will set owners back a whopping $4.3 million.
About 50 percent of the building’s 149 units have already been sold and deposits are held in a trust account, but prohibition orders prevent the new owners from moving in until the defects are resolved.
Some investors bought into the scheme six years ago and were told last February they could move into the building in April, but then in June they were told the building would remain empty until November.
A month later the first prohibition order was issued.
Daily Mail Australia understands that a portion of those original buyers changed their minds after the order in December 2022 and were fully refunded their deposits.
All potential buyers are informed of the defects. Agencies are still showing the building to buyers, but no units have been sold since December 2022.
Sales listings for some of the apartments still appear on property websites.
“Currently under construction and nearing completion,” says one listing, which includes a buyer’s guide of $519,000.
‘This magnificent one-bedroom apartment offers excellent views of the city and escarpment.’
The most expensive units, valued between $1.3 million and $4.3 million, have not been sold.
The NSW Building Commissioner found serious defects at the property (pictured)
Stakeholders have already spent $37 million trying to fix the defects (pictured)
One problem was that the post-tensioning cables had not been installed correctly
The site first came to Mr Chandler’s attention in 2021 when problems were detected in the basement.
Inspectors then identified the need for additional columns on several floors, including 17 in the basement to support the building’s load.gram.
It was later discovered that the post-tensioning cables, a key support for the concrete construction, had not been installed correctly.
The cables are normally injected with grout once the steel is stressed, but close inspection found that many were immersed in water instead of grout.
“The NSW Building Commission is working hard to increase the capacity of the state’s construction industry to deliver the quantity and quality of housing the people of NSW need,” Mr Chandler said.
He explained that projects must be built correctly from the beginning and any problems must be addressed during the early phases of construction, long before occupants move in and do not have to fix defects themselves.
“This type of work not only poses a risk to the owners, but it can also be dangerous,” he said.
There will be a meeting between Mr Chandler and key stakeholders to determine the way forward.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the construction group and developer for comment.
Do you know more? Send an email to charlotte.karp@mailonline.com
Pictured: New South Wales Building Commissioner David Chandler, who issued the order to stop work.