A $120 million high-rise apartment complex has been slammed as one of the ‘worst buildings’ that a state’s building inspector has ever come across.
Luxury apartment development The Crownview Wollongong, an eight-storey split podium with a 20-storey tower sitting on top, was inspected by NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler on February 15.
Mr Chandler found a slew of serious defects in the building, compounding a previous December 2022 probation order that first took issue with the building’s structural system.
Key stakeholders have been called to meet with Mr Chandler to discuss the future of its 149 apartments – some of which have already been sold.
The complex was originally described as ‘a striking addition to Wollongong’s skyline’ but it now sits in limbo after developers were issued a stop work order this week.
The Crownview Wollongong has been described as one of the ‘worst buildings’ in NSW
NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler did a follow-up inspection on February 15 and found serious defects
The 2022 prohibition order prevented any prospective tenants from moving into the building until its issues had been rectified, which never happened, Mr Chandler said.
‘This is an appalling building and one of the worst I’ve ever inspected,’ Mr Chandler said.
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‘Building Commission NSW is working hard to lift the capability of the state’s building industry to deliver the quantity and quality of housing the people of NSW need.
‘To be successful in this endeavour we must ensure projects are built right from the beginning and any problems and defects are dealt with early, long before occupants move in, so that owners do not have to take action to fix defects themselves.’
One of the primary concerns of Mr Chandler involved cables inside slabs in the building which had been ‘tensioned’ after concrete was placed.
Typically cables are grouted once steel is tensioned but close inspection found that many were submerged in water instead of grout.
It is understood that stakeholders in the building had already invested $37million into the building in an attempt to fix the issues found in December 2022.
NSW Building Minister Anoulack Chanthivong told the Daily Telegraph that intervention on the building was needed in order to avoid disaster.
‘This kind of work doesn’t just risk leaving owners out of pocket, it can be dangerous,’ he said.
‘The lessons from buildings like Mascot Towers couldn’t be clearer, stepping in before a building is occupied can save years of heartache and uncertainty.
Mr Chandler said the building was ‘appalling’ and has called a meeting with key stakeholders to discuss its future
Stakeholders had already spent $37 million in building repairs since a December 2022 probation order