Latest news with #structuralissues
CBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Queen's University's fairy-tale castle was crumbling. A report cites 'ad hoc maintenance'
Herstmonceux Castle offered students a fairy-tale experience — the chance to learn at a centuries-old English estate, complete with a moat and peacocks strutting around the gardens. But behind its beautiful red-brick facade, parts of the building in East Sussex, U.K., were cracking and crumbling. In November 2023, Queen's University, which operates Bader College at the castle as its international campus, announced serious structural issues had been discovered and the site was no longer safe. The castle was closed for urgent repairs and almost all staff were laid off. Students looking forward to another semester abroad were sent home. "A lot of people were crying in the hallways," recalled Aaniqa Karmali, who was among those studying at the estate when it was abruptly shut down. No detailed inspection for 28 years The structural problems seemed to come without warning, but a report prepared by an architecture and surveying firm and obtained by CBC through access to information laws shows there hadn't been significant repairs or conservation of the castle's exterior in the decades since Queen's took it over. It also found the building had "suffered from a period of ad hoc maintenance" resulting in a list of defects, and that nearly 28 years had passed since it had undergone a detailed inspection called a quinquennial report. (Quinquennial means once every five years). A separate request revealed the inspectors drew up a five-year maintenance plan, providing an initial estimate of $14.2 million Cdn to fix all the issues they'd identified. However, Queen's has only approved $5.5 million of that repair bill so far — enough to cover the most urgently needed work, which has largely focused on the castle's gatehouse. The costly repairs come as the university, the largest employer in Kingston, Ont., grapples with an ongoing budget deficit that has forced layoffs, a hiring freeze and discussion about cutting courses with low enrolment. The 2025-2026 budget for Queen's projects an operating shortfall of $26.4 million. Once abandoned as romantic ruin The university had anticipated the repairs would be complete in time for next school year, but now says they will run into the fall. As the work at Bader College continues, the question remains: Can Queen's afford to keep its castle? Herstmonceux Castle dates back to 1441 and is considered an ancient monument, earning a Grade 1 listing from Historic England, the public body responsible for heritage sites in the U.K. It has been a fabulous gift, but it has not been an easy gift for the institution to manage. - Patrick Deane, Queen's University principal That's the highest level of protection available, meaning the castle is considered to be of "exceptional interest." One of the largest and earliest-built brick structures in the country, the castle was abandoned as a romantic ruin in the 18th century before restoration began. It was eventually purchased by Alfred and Isabel Bader in the early 1990s. Alfred, a wealthy Queen's alumnus, then gifted the castle to his alma mater. "It has been a fabulous gift, but it has not been an easy gift for the institution to manage," said the university's principal Patrick Deane, who's also chair of the Bader College board of trustees. 'It's not a holiday resort' Administrators have always felt a moral as well as an academic obligation to "cherish" the facility, said Deane, who noted some maintenance has been done at the castle since the university became its owner. However, he was unable to explain why inspectors found no significant repairs had been done to the building's exterior since the early 1990s, nor could he share specific details about past inspections of the estate, including whether they were carried out by trained professionals such as engineers or architects. Asked about the optics of spending millions on a castle in England while dealing with a deficit at home, Deane defended the purpose of the college. "I would encourage you to think of it not as a castle in Europe, but as a campus in another country," he said. "It's not a holiday resort we have. It's an important part of the university infrastructure." Karmali, the Queen's student, was selecting courses for her first year when she came across the option to study in a castle. She said she was drawn by Bader College's small class sizes, opportunities to learn in the field — and of course, the idea of staying at a picturesque estate in the English countryside. "The whole experience was very surreal," Karmali said, describing a campus that offered bucolic bliss with major cities and other European destinations just a short trip away. "When I look back at pictures, I'm in awe that I got to experience that." But roughly three months into her time at the castle, she and her classmates at Bader received an email stating the building was no longer safe. Karmali said they were shocked. "Everyone was really disappointed, really sad," she said. Despite having her castle experience torn away, Karmali treasures her time there and said if she was given another chance to spend a semester at Bader she'd take it. Still, the 21-year-old said she's frustrated that problems with the building weren't discovered sooner. "I think it would have been smartest to do those inspections and do any necessary repairs before the next cohort of first-years came to the castle," she said. 'Ad hoc maintenance' in recent years CBC obtained two documents about the castle through freedom of information requests. The first is an August 2024 report to the college's board of trustees seeking approval for the repairs and outlining their financial impact. The second is an April 2024 quinquennial inspection report completed by a company called Gould Baxter for Queen's after the site was shut down. The university initially refused to disclose the report to CBC, arguing in part that doing so "could affect the future viability of the Castle and its ability to earn revenue." After CBC pushed back, Queen's released a copy with all but 77 of 321 pages redacted. Following an appeal to the Information Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, the university released more of the report detailing what the castle inspection uncovered. It states that between 1993 and 1994, the building underwent renovations to prepare for its new role as a U.K. campus for the university. "It is our understanding that no other significant repairs or conservation works have been carried out to the external fabric since 1994," the report reads, though it noted evidence of some recent maintenance. The authors added: "During the course of our inspection it was evident that the Castle has suffered from a period of an ad hoc maintenance policy in recent years. This has resulted in a number of defects … which will need to be addressed in the short term." Those defects were rated on a scale from one — meaning no repairs needed — to three, described as being "considered serious or urgent," and requiring repair or further investigation as soon as practicable. Of the 896 areas or aspects of the castle that were inspected, 188 or roughly 21 per cent were scored "Condition Rating 3." In the majority of cases, the probable cause of the issue is described as a lack of maintenance, damp penetration or a combination that included those factors. Rotted window sills, weathered stone, damp stains, buckets on a conference room floor to catch drips from a leaky roof and a 10-millimetre crack from ceiling to floor were all among the report's findings. It tells a story that's less a fairy tale and more in keeping with a centuries-old building showing its age, including a "fungal fruiting body" blooming in the corner of one bathroom. No legal requirement for regular inspections Historic England, which oversees heritage sites in the U.K., has been working with Queen's on the repairs and said it's aware of the findings in the report. Asked if the organization had any concerns about what the inspectors found, and whether it believes the castle is being properly maintained, a spokesperson for the organization did not answer directly. An emailed statement said much of the estate is in a "good state of repair," but noted it's a large and complex site, making it difficult to monitor some areas. "We are extremely pleased that the owners of Herstmonceux Castle are implementing the proposed recommendations of the report," stated Historic England. "We would not expect significant conservation works to be regularly undertaken … but it is appropriate that periodically more significant works might be expected on such an important building, along with smaller scale/localised repairs and maintenance in between." The organization said there's no legal requirement for owners to routinely maintain or inspect a protected monument — every five years as part of a quinquennial report, for example. However, a spokesperson wrote, quinquennial inspections are a "good way of planning repairs to ensure historic buildings are looked after for future generations," particularly when it comes to large buildings or estates. Queen's could have been a better steward: professor Mario Santana compares caring for historic sites to looking after your teeth with daily brushing and flossing. "Let's say you wait 10 years to go to the dentist. When it comes [time] to go, the bill is going to be bigger, right? Because there are many things that have happened to you," said the Carleton University professor who specializes in architectural conservation. Santana is a former secretary general of the International Council of Monuments and Sites, which develops standards to help protect heritage buildings around the world. He has worked with Historic England in the past and reviewed the copy of the quinquennial report obtained by CBC. Detailed inspections, usually every five to 10 years, are important for the upkeep of such historic sites — especially ones that are open to the public, he said. "That's something that probably should have happened. It didn't happen," the professor said. Santana said he doesn't believe there was any "malice" underlying the university's treatment of the castle, though it could indicate a lack of experience with handling historic sites. The professor said he was specifically struck by the part of the report stating no significant repairs or conservation had been carried out to the castle's exterior since 1994. While that doesn't mean no repairs were carried out, Santana said based on what he read, there doesn't appear to have been a priority list or systematic approach to preserving the castle — a common issue for heritage buildings. "What that denotes is that there was no management plan, no maintenance plan," he said. "Probably, they should have been a better steward of the castle." New business model needed Deane, the Queen's principal, said while the problems with the castle are unfortunate, Herstmonceux has not been "neglected for 30 years." "There would always have been other things commanding the attention of the leadership at the castle, and therefore the resources of Bader College to attend to it," Deane said. "That's the only explanation I can give." The principal said the repairs done so far have been covered through the university's capital budget, just like any other campus building. Annual returns for Bader College posted on the U.K. Charities Commission website show frequent budget deficits over the past five years, along with regular cash injections of $1 million or more from Queen's. The documents describe the "key risk" to the campus as a sudden or persistent decline in income, and said student enrolment is needed to maintain a strong financial position. Last year's budget report for Queen's shows a recommended tuition of $22,356 for each semester, with a planned intake of 155 students. The estate itself does bring in some revenue from visitors who purchase tickets to tour the grounds and gardens, and as a venue for conferences and weddings. Still, the returns show the site finishes most years with either a marginal profit or a loss. Report calls for millions more While the documents obtained by CBC show $5.5 million has been set aside to fix up the castle's gatehouse, roof and some windows, Deane said he couldn't speak to whether Queen's will spend the other $8.7 million estimated by the quinquennial report. "No decision has been made on any additional castle repairs at this time," the board of trustees report concludes in bold letters. Despite the struggle and expense, Deane said Queen's is not considering selling its castle. Instead, he said Bader College needs to find a different model, and suggested one that would see professors bring cohorts of students from Queen's and other universities to the site for anywhere from a couple of weeks to a month-and-a-half. At the same time, the principal said he believes commercial activity at the estate must increase, and suggested the administration look to U.K. government programs that could reward the college for "rewilding" some of its sprawling 121-hectare grounds. He pledged part of the castle's future will include a more proactive approach to repair and maintenance by building reviews and funding for fixes into its business model. Historic England also said it's working with Queen's to come up with a recommended monitoring and maintenance program of the type Santana mentioned, which will ensure the building is cared for beyond the current repairs. Deane said the Bader family's dream for the castle remains a "brilliant vision" that benefits both students and Queen's by giving the university a visible role on the global stage. "It is, in that sense, something that I think should make us the envy of the Canadian university sector," he said.
CBC
22-05-2025
- CBC
Former city director called off enforcement at Gore Park building that later collapsed: report
Social Sharing A City of Hamilton timeline of interactions with owners of the Gore Park buildings that collapsed in November shows a former director of licensing and by-law services advised officers not to enforce deficiencies at the property on multiple occasions. The timeline, part of a report discussed at city council's General Issues Committee on Wednesday, shows city inspectors were aware of numerous issues at the building before it collapsed, such as falling and missing bricks, cracks and an incomplete roof that was letting water inside, and had asked the owner, Hughson Business Space Corporation, to fix the problems. In July, four months before the facades at 24 and 28 King St. E. crumbled spectacularly into a pile of rubble and bricks, the city's building division requested a structural engineer's report on the conjoined row of historic buildings. That report was not provided until after the Nov. 11 collapse, and according to city staffers, who did not include it in their report to council, it said the building was not in structural danger. The collapse happened in the early hours of Remembrance Day, metres from where hundreds of people would soon gather to commemorate the event at the Cenotaph. "I just want to reiterate or say again how horrifying that incident was," said Mayor Andrea Horwath, who appeared at committee by video call with her arm in a sling as she recovers from a recent injury. "It was a day after the garrison parade where there were literally hundreds of people walking past that building. That building could have fallen on people." 'This report was a bit alarming': councillor The timeline included in the report showed building owners have faced various compliance issues with city departments for over a decade, but city inspection efforts to seek compliance did little to mitigate the deterioration of the row of vacant buildings. Several councillors were concerned to see that a former director of licensing and by-law, who is not named in the report, told officers to pause or refrain from enforcement on the property at least four times in 2015 and 2016. "This report was a bit alarming for me," said Ward 9 Coun. Brad Clark. "I'd like to get a sense as to why a director of licensing would ever tell the staff not to enforce our bylaws on a building we're inspecting for safety issues?" Facing similar questions from other councillors, Dan Smith, the city's acting director of licensing and bylaw, said calling off enforcement falls outside of the purview of the job. "Once an order has been issued, [the director] would not have the authority to tell staff not to follow through with an order," he said, while noting staff preparing Wednesday's report did not know the reasoning behind those requests because that information was lost during the city's recent cyberattack. City staff mostly inspect vacant buildings from outside The timeline also showed that bylaw officers had completed quarterly inspections of the property since its registration in the Vacant Building Registry in 2018, and had inspected it just two weeks before the collapse, finding it to be "secured and vacant." Horwath wondered how such inspections could possibly be, given what happened so soon afterward. Smith responded that many of the inspections were done from outside the building, as with boarded up, vacant buildings it can be hard to access the indoors. "One of the things we struggled with… is related to the difficulty of internal inspection on vacant buildings related to them being closed off and secure from trespass," he said. "The majority of inspections we do are external." Wednesday's report said that despite it not being their practice, the city's Vacant Building By-law does allow them to go inside such structures to inspect their safety. "Interior inspections of vacant buildings rarely take place for a variety of reasons, including accessibility, risk [and] lack of resources," it states. "Staff are giving consideration to amending the vacant building procedure to incorporate at least one annual interior inspection, as well as requiring that a vacant building owner produce documentation at least once per year with respect to the structure and condition of the building." The report also found: The buildings had been vacant for more than a decade "with a history of by-law violations." Gaps in communication and enforcement processes, including inconsistent follow-up and lack of interdepartmental coordination. 122 vacant buildings across Hamilton remain unregistered despite notification. Hamilton's bylaws are strong but enforcement tools like escalating penalties and interior inspections need strengthening. A more detailed report, with recommendations, is expected to come by the end of the year. That document will also include a consultant's report on the structural causes of the collapse. In the meantime, councillors unanimously supported recommendations directing staff to conduct a review of related legislation and bylaws, including "strategies to mitigate vacant building issues; recommended changes to enforcement processes; results of stakeholder consultation; and, additional analysis related to the building collapse." Staff were also guided to request approval from Ontario's Ministry of the Attorney General for set fines, which they said tend to be higher than those under city bylaws, and to increase existing fines for non-compliance with the vacant building registry. Several councillors demanded quicker action once staff know a building is not compliant. "We've had a compliance issue with this building since 2012," said Cameron Kroetsch, Ward 2 councillor, which includes the downtown, and a member of the municipal heritage committee. "I am actually genuinely worried about heritage assets in the downtown core that are continuing to deteriorate.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Cremations to resume after six-month suspension
Cremations are set to resume at a city funeral facility after a six-month pause while structural problems in the building were fixed. Operating restrictions at Lawnswood Crematorium were imposed by Leeds City Council after defects were found during a survey in November. Temporary arrangements meant funerals could still be held at the site on Otley Road, Adel, but bodies then had to be taken to crematoria in Rawdon or Cottingley. A council spokesperson said cremations were due to resume at Lawnswood from Monday. "We recognise that the temporary suspension of cremations at Lawnswood will have caused inconvenience and some extra worry for bereaved families and loved ones at an already difficult time," the spokesperson said. "The suspension was put in place by the council after potential issues were found during a routine structural inspection in November. "Following further detailed checks and remedial work that has provided additional support for the frame of the building, it has now been given a clean bill of health by a structural engineer." According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the spokesperson added that the council was "extremely grateful for the support and understanding of everyone who has been affected by the unavoidable disruption of the last few months". Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North Local Democracy Reporting Service Cremations suspended at cemetery for four months
BBC News
18-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Cremations to resume at Lawnswood after six-month suspension
Cremations are set to resume at a city funeral facility after a six-month pause while structural problems in the building were restrictions at Lawnswood Crematorium were imposed by Leeds City Council after defects were found during a survey in arrangements meant funerals could still be held at the site on Otley Road, Adel, but bodies then had to be taken to crematoria in Rawdon or Cottingley.A council spokesperson said cremations were due to resume at Lawnswood from Monday. "We recognise that the temporary suspension of cremations at Lawnswood will have caused inconvenience and some extra worry for bereaved families and loved ones at an already difficult time," the spokesperson said."The suspension was put in place by the council after potential issues were found during a routine structural inspection in November."Following further detailed checks and remedial work that has provided additional support for the frame of the building, it has now been given a clean bill of health by a structural engineer."According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the spokesperson added that the council was "extremely grateful for the support and understanding of everyone who has been affected by the unavoidable disruption of the last few months". Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Residents pursue legal action in New York luxury building
Ultra-wealthy New York City condo owners are suing their building's developer and its contractors for allegedly ignoring major structural issues at their luxury skyscraper. Residents at 432 Park Avenue have long complained about alleged faulty elevators, leaking plumbing and noise issues, filing an initial suit against developers in 2021. But while pouring over documents for that suit, the condo board said they found more evidence of wrongdoing. They now claim that CIM Group and other developers at the 1,400-foot tall luxury tower on Manhattan's Billionaire's Row committed 'deliberate and far-reaching fraud' by failing to disclose early cracks in the façade that could cause structural issues, the New York Times reports. The developers also allegedly ignored repeated warnings and failed tests that showed the building may not be structurally sound because they worried too much about their bottom line, according to the lawsuit filed late last month in New York State Supreme Court in Manhattan. Nearly 1,900 defects have emerged in the façade of the building ever since - including an alleged 10-inch deep crack in the building's core, the condo owners claim, according to CNN. They even included photos showing vein-like cracks of concrete missing from the façade in their filing. 'This matter extends beyond negligence, into an alleged calculated scheme,' said Terrence Oved, a lawyer for the condo board. It is seeking $165 million in damages, including the 'diminution in value of the building and its value of the building and its units' as some of its super wealthy residents who were eager to get into the new super-skinny high rise when it opened in 2015 flee the building. The lavish skyscraper made waves in the Big Apple real estate world when it first opened sales in 2013, and for a short time it was the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere. It attracted a number of famous faces and moguls looking to live in the status symbol, including singer Jennifer Lopez and Saudi retail and real-estate magnate Fawaz Al Hokair, who bought the penthouse in 2016 for $87.66 million. But residents reportedly complained of a number of issues after moving in, including rumors that high-altitude apartments would sway and creak over the city below. One potential buyer, billionaire tequila mogul Juan Beckmann Vidal, also claimed that when he was in contract for a $46.25 million apartment on the 86th floor in 2016 there was a 'catastrophic water flood' caused major damage to units on the 83rd, 84th, 85th, and 86th floors. The condo owners now claim that the problems with the building originated with the plans, which called for a naturally white concrete façade. The mixture would have to be strong enough to withstand all of the floors pressing down on one another and strong enough to hold up against strong winds during major storms. According to the suit, Andreas Tselebidis - who designed the concrete mix - said it was 'the greatest challenge ever requested by a ready-mix producer.' Despite his efforts, cracks emerged in all of the vertical columns in every mock up test over the course of six months, it claims. As the issues persisted, star architect Rafael Vinoly raised concerns about the cracks. 'It is difficult to know the impact of cracking in a fully-loaded building,' his firm wrote in a field report on December 17, 2012. 'It is imperative that the concrete consultant review these conditions and advise.' The next day, the lawsuit claims, Silvian Marcus, of WSP - the building's structural engineer, which is also one of the defendants in the suit - also expressed her own concerns. She allegedly wrote to developers to 'hold the pour' until they had a 'valid' concrete mix. Yet, the lawsuit says, the developers plowed forward with 'complete disregard for... the inevitable problems it would cause for the building and its future residents.' Almost immediately afterward, the condo owners claim, cracks started to emerge. The lawsuit also claims that the concrete supplier was 'still experimenting with design mixes' three months after the start of the facade's construction. Contractors reportedly plied the developers with some ideas about how to stop the cracking with carious coats and patching. But the suit says the developers ignored those repair ideas 'due to potential schedule, cost and aesthetic impacts.' For example, a suggestion that an opaque elastomeric covering could be applied to the façade to prevent air and water infiltration was ignored because it would 'significantly alter' the building's appearance and make it less appealing to 'the world's billionaires.' Instead, they only addressed issues with cheap or cosmetic repairs, according to the lawsuit. By April 2016, one year after the building opened for residents, one of the consultants issued a report detailing 1,893 defects - more than half it said were 'life-safety items,' the suit claims. They included 'large voids, spalls of an unknown origin, unfilled cracks, opened cracks and other serious deficiencies.' The damage even corroded some of the steel in the tower's reinforced concrete columns, the suit claims. It goes onto claim that members of the development team falsely misrepresented the 'nature, extent and type of cracking' to New York City's Department of Buildings. Under New York City law, architects and engineers are responsible for notifying the Buildings Department of any 'immediately hazardous conditions' at properties where they are working. But the department has never been notified of any conditions at 432 Park Avenue, a spokesperson for the department told the New York Times. Additionally, the suit claims that disclosures used in information for potential buyers and filed with the state Attorney General's office was revised in 2013. Wording that had said the density of the concrete 'will prevent water penetration' was changed to say the concrete and properly sealed windows 'have been designed to prevent water penetration. The developers, though, have denied the claims. A spokeswoman for CIM Group, for example, told the Times it 'vehemently' denies the claim and is planning to move to dismiss the case. A lawyer for SLCE Architects also denied the allegations and said it, too, plans to dismiss the complaint.
