Should We be Worried About Condo Collapses in Philadelphia?

What happened in Surfside Florida last week is nothing short of tragic. I actually haven't been able to watch the news anymore because seeing the devastation the condo collapse has caused is heartbreaking. I don't think anyone expected this to happen. But as a result many lives were taken and families are left without many answers.

There are so many questions still lingering. How? Why? Who is to blame?

All questions we probably won't get answers to for a very long time. But this has many people thinking...could this happen to my building?

I'm not going to lie, I now have concerns about the apartment building I live in. I don't live in a brand new building. It's old. I see cracks and structural damage that now worries me. I have friends and family members that live in condos in Philadelphia that are over 10 stories. Could it come crashing down at any moment?

Now I know, it doesn't do anyone any good to live in fear. But this should be concern for everyone. And I think tenants have the right to express those concerns even if they feel the slightest bit uncomfortable.

There have actually been one too many building collapses in the tri-state area. And pretty recently too. Did you know that on 2013 7 people died and 12 were injured after a building in Center City that was being demolished collapsed and took the nearby Salvation Army building down with it. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, even though the building was in the process of being torn down, there were still alarming warning signs that were ignored foreshadowing the collapse.

There was another collapse back in 2003 at the Jersey Shore. A garage came down after contractors neglected to install crucial elements of the structure, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Apparently when it came to the Champlain Towers in Florida, there were a lot of warning signs dating all the way back to 2018. I heard on CNN, that residents had noticed small things in their condos like water leakage and cracks but didn't think much of it.

So when it comes to the buildings in Philly that are over 40 years old, how can landlords ensure us that we are safe every time we step foot into the property? I can name a bunch of high rise buildings over 40 years old in the city right now. There's Waterfront Square and the Lorraine Apartments just to name a few.

I think it's time that tenants get more info about the construction aspect of the buildings they live in. It could save lives.