September 13, 2021:
During a quasi-judicial hearing held on Monday to determine whether to condemn the Santa Clara Condominiums, Key West Chief Building Official Raj Ramsingh issued an order to repair the building and set a timeline to ensure the continued habitability of the structure.
The structure, located at 3312 Northside Drive, was found to be in poor condition in August. A recent inspection found major concrete cracks in walls and stairwells and exposed steel at vertical columns. Floors or roofs were found to have improperly distributed loads, were overloaded or lacked sufficient strength to be reasonably safe for the purposes used, particularly the southwest stair tower and the roof concrete slab.
The order gives the condominium board and its representatives 15 days to come up with a life-safety plan.
The order then sets a 45-day deadline for the board to provide an initial repair plan which must include timelines for bidding the job and for construction as well as a timeline and plan for financing the construction.
The order also addressed immediate issues relating to ensuring access to the roof remains secure and that safety exits remain accessible.
“Repairs should and must be completed in a timely fashion,” Ramsingh wrote in the order. “Initial repairs shall begin no later than Monday, January 17, 2022.”
If not in compliance with the order, the condominium could face condemnation.
You can watch the hearing in its entirety by clicking on the Play button on the City's Youtube channel provided.
