MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – The catastrophic condo collapse in Surfside has led to a sudden and increased awareness in other older buildings around South Florida.
The disaster at Champlain Towers South has hit close to home for city leaders in Miami Beach.
“I think probably everybody in this community is no more than one degree of separation from the families that were there,” said Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber.
The city decided Monday night to send structural engineers out to its buildings that are currently undergoing their 40-year recertification process.
Miami Beach City Manager Alina Hudak said that’s a total of 507 buildings in Miami Beach.
“I have asked out building official to send inspectors out to do what, quite frankly in this first week, is going to be a very cursory visual review.”
As of Monday evening, crews completed 130 property visits.
This comes in the wake of Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava ordering an audit of all residential buildings five stories or higher, and 40 years or older.
Miami Beach will also be sending out a letter, asking for update preliminary inspection reports within the next 21 days.
City leaders hope to complete the process within the next 10 days.
The city also voted to extend its state of emergency declaration until July 6.