Several documents involving the downtown building were leaked in recent weeks, including exchanges between the city's Department of Building Inspection and Millennium Partners, the developer. But in a major earthquake fault zone, the Millennium Tower's structural problems have raised alarm and become the focus of a public scandal. But it's not sinking evenly, which has created a 2-inch tilt at the base-and a roughly 6-inch lean at the top.īy comparison, Italy's famed Leaning Tower of Pisa is leaning more than 16 feet. "Is it safe to stay here? For how long?"Ĭompleted seven years ago, the tower so far has sunk 16 inches into the soft soil and landfill of San Francisco's crowded financial district. "What concerns me most is the tilting," says Buttery, 76, a retired real estate developer. And engineers hired to assess the problem say it shows no immediate sign of stopping. The 58-story building has gained notoriety in recent weeks as the "leaning tower of San Francisco." But it's not just leaning. As the engineers continue their battle against gravity, the Millennium Tower awaits its fate, leaning into a future of uncertainties.Those were the first signs for residents of the sleek, mirrored high-rise that something was wrong. In the heart of San Francisco, a drama unfolds, as man, technology, and nature wrestle in this architectural thriller. Hamburger and his team are gearing up for their next challenge – securing the foundation to the dozen piles along Fremont Street. He downplays the quarter-inch westward tilt revealed by the foundation-based data as “negligible,” promising no further movement once the remaining design load is transferred to the piles. Ron Hamburger, the project engineer, remains optimistic about the future of the tower. These measurements are susceptible to weather fluctuations and may not entirely reflect the ground reality, they contend. The engineers in charge dispute the accuracy of the rooftop-based monitoring data, which shows that the tower shifted nearly an inch westward after the north side was reinforced. The tower’s west side may have paid the price, revealing the delicate balance of forces at play in this skyscraper saga. However, it seems this success story has an unintended consequence. West: A Delicate BalanceĪ glimmer of hope emerged when engineers managed to stabilize the Millennium Tower’s north side along Mission Street after the installation of six concrete-filled steel piles at its base in January. Interestingly, the additional half-inch appeared while engineers were in the process of digging beneath the sinking condominium earlier this year, aiming to lend support to the colossal structure, which rests on the site of a former landfill. Instead, it’s gained an extra half an inch in lean, according to recent reports from NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit. The towering structure, located at the busy intersection of Fremont and Mission streets, despite the valiant efforts of its architects, has not ceased its westward dip. It appears the city’s 545-foot architectural marvel is in an unwelcome dance with gravity. Architectural Endeavors Struggling Against The Lean Yes, you heard it right, the infamous “Leaning Tower of San Francisco” is tipping ever so slightly more, despite the tireless efforts of engineers working day and night to rectify the tilt. Welcome to the city by the bay, where the famous Transamerica Pyramid pierces the sky, and the equally famous, albeit for different reasons, Millennium Tower leans noticeably to one side. San Francisco’s Millennium Tower Leans Deeper, Despite Engineering Efforts Despite some disputes over data accuracy, project engineers remain confident in the corrective measures being taken and plan to continue their work to secure the foundation.
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