New pictures of Millennium Tower window failures worry expert

The sinking and leaning Millennium Tower may now be partly supported to bedrock, but a glass industry veteran says he is concerned about the ongoing risk from its windows after two failed during a windstorm earlier this year. Jaxon Van Derbeken reports.
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[@cruisinguy6024]

This building needs to be condemned and dismantled before people are killed.

[@mdmoz1777]

I recommend the demo team from wtc 7.

[@garymartin9777]

they could take off the upper half. That should reduce the weight on the piles enough to stop them from settling more.

[@theashpilez]

@@mdmoz1777 PULL

[@SoftAsFur]

It's going to take people getting killed first, before they even entertain taking it down.... and it will come down one way or another. It's a matter of when not if.

[@markrobinowitz8473]

@@mdmoz1777 which had a large part of the collapsing north tower gouge a huge hole on its south side and set it on fire, not something to attempt in the middle of downtown SF

[@I_Am_SciCurious]

I lived in SF during the major earthquake of 1989. It’s difficult to describe how terrifying it is when there is no solid ground and nowhere to run and hide because absolutely everything in your immediate world is shaking violently. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near that place in an earthquake.

[@fauxpinkytoo]

I'm now safely (?) in the Midwest. I still love SF, but I can see this tower falling over in the next major quake plain as day... You don't have to be an architect to know this will happen. Why they never anchored this to bedrock in the beginning mystifies me...

[@maxswaxsportscards]

Sf is built on a landfill. Literally a dump

[@erwina4738]

Thats one of many reasons why I moved to Florida because earthquakes are dangerous and you dont know when they are coming. I remember even back in first or second grade we would get warned about “the big one” coming soon. That shit would scare me haha.

[@805_6HUNNIT]

As a glass technician, I’ll say the two big words you’re missing here is annealed and tempered which refers to two different types of glass. Annealed, when broken breaks off into shards that will cut you like a razor. Tempered, when broken, breaks into a million pieces. Often referred to as safety glass it will still cut you but far less dangerous than annealed glass

[@gr8dvd]

Cost difference between annealed & tempered glass? Safety, not cost should be the priority but wondering why building codes don’t require the safer option.

[@penitenttangent7346]

And all made in China glass nonetheless 😂

[@p1st0ls44]

aluminum window drafter here. these windows are most likely heat strengthened not necessarily tempered in the safety glass way.. however, these are most likely an inch to 1/2" thick with argon gas. if they break on their own without a break area like if you hit it in a specific spot, they basically explode! the issue is you would be watching tv or something and the window just explodes and tiny peaces of glass get everywhere. that's dangerous stuff. if they were fully tempered safety glass it would be even worse because as you said they burst into a million pieces :p. the physicist in me says this doesn't look good.

[@Mythos131]

@@p1st0ls44 No one is saying that glass is tempered. It most definitely is not or there would not be pieces left as big as those shown in this video. If this glass was tempered, there would be no danger to those in the until, even if they were standing right along side of it when it broke. Saying it explodes is hyperbole, it is more like it all breaks at once and falls, there is very little lateral force from the pieces unlike there would be if it actually was an explosion.

[@roseymalino9855]

The glass is described to be heat strengthened glass and definitely not tempered.

[@artistjoh]

The original developer didn't want the expense of driving piles to bedrock leading to the leaning problem. It makes me wonder if the window problem is due to stresses caused by the leaning, or if it is the result of other cost-cutting by the developer. You couldn't pay me to live in that building. Cost-cutting developers are hazardous to health and safety.

[@k.chriscaldwell4141]

Both.

[@shepardbook]

Hell, you couldn’t pay me to live anywhere NEAR that building. Dismantling that thing will be entertaining…

[@lostpony4885]

The inadequate strength of the hardware and loose glass in frames has your answer. Corners cut on every bit of material. Not just a leaning tower

[@shepardbook]

@@lostpony4885 Not helping…

[@huntncover]

Tofu Dreg .

[@walkman06]

Feels like watching a building destruction in very slow motion.

[@IndigoStarrAz]

It's true, I've been following this story for a few years now.

[@kingboagart899]

Exactly right, a slow motion collapse is a collapse nonetheless.

[@TimeSurfer206]

Gravity always works in slow motion. Until it doesn't, and then we're back to that 32 feet per second, squared. This is also why I hate walking upright: The ground is too far away when I fall.

[@huntncover]

One good earthquake will speed things up nicely .

[@sgtgrash]

As an ex-employee of a sealed unit, double glazing manufacturer, I am staggered that tempered glass panes, both inner & outer, are not a mandatory requirement throughout a high rise development.

[@innocentnemesis3519]

Building with glass is really unsustainable anyways. We need to rethink that trend altogether.

[@JoeyBlogs007]

What do you suggest? transparent seaweed?

[@sgtgrash]

@@JoeyBlogs007 Fantastic idea, I hope you have patented it... 👍😁

[@HyenaBlank]

@@innocentnemesis3519 Also turns all those skyscrapers into hot boxes

[@juzoli]

@@JoeyBlogs007Obviously there should be safety glass from top to bottom…

[@vincentbugalia3858]

So this will go on for a while until the building falls over, and then the city supervisor can tell us his thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.

[@BenjaminEsposti]

If only they lived in the tower, maybe something would get done...

[@suebruce493]

Yes. His heart will go out to them. We can count on that.

[@mathildameier8340]

Yep... and changes will be made...

[@Violet-im6ek8pf9o]

That's gonna be a colossal collapse.

[@eleventy-seven]

No. When the building reaches a 40" tilt engineers say the gravity fed sewage will stop and the elevators will fail slightly before. The building will be red tagged and disassembled. It will not topple. This isn't Hollywood.

[@carlosjr8649]

Nope that building will fall and cause a major tragedy in SF! Im glad me and my wife moved out of that CiTy, specially when the Big Earthquake is due i hope it truly doesn’t happen because it will be horrible lots of lives will be taken.

[@lebowskiunderachiever3591]

@@eleventy-seven Either way the tower will come down

[@jakej1837]

@@lebowskiunderachiever3591 Nope. The building was never in real danger of collapse (even though the media hysteria makes it out that way), rather as mentioned, once the tilt moves past a certain point (well before any danger of collapse), it'll be uninhabitable. At the moment, the fixes so far seemed to have stabilized it.

[@mrparts]

It won’t collapse. It will simply be a dud with no value and will have to be disassembled at a massive cost to taxpayers.

[@danielberg7644]

1 year and 45 days to build the Empire State Building in 1931. 4 years to build the Millennium Tower and they still couldn't get it right.

[@jkardez4794]

They were running on a tight budget in the depresion times .

[@dmitripogosian5084]

That's what cheap labor can accomplish

[@leonardcollings7389]

Isn't that the truth. The Empire State Building was designed with paper and pencil 90+ years ago..

[@lindaaryani5795]

They keep patching problem on top of problem. This building needs to be torn down. Better to lose money than lives.

[@gen.arnavpoe4633]

Yea right...did you know landlord's insurance include deaths. Just like in construction companies , certain # of deaths are expected when building commercial...human life is expendable and expected

[@johnwattdotca]

@@gen.arnavpoe4633 There was one line in that stock market movie that got me. For every percentage the economy falls over 40,000 people die. Brad Pitt said it. It has to be true.

[@Bk6346]

Capitalism, it is better to lose lives than money.

[@briant6669]

@@Bk6346 Socialism is when you lose both.

[@VA-gu1jq]

@@briant6669You’re not even an adult if that’s you’re actual understanding of socialism. Nobody even wants it, but your Fox News brain has to bring it up anytime a pitfall of capitalism gets brought up.

[@ValentinoBentley]

This is an embarrassment for this to be allowed in this country. The engineers and builders that had a hand in this from the start to the half-assed fixes need to be held accountable for tear down and relocation of all tenants.

[@Chad-Giga.]

I agree. Wtf is going on with engineers these days man?!!

[@bukboefidun9096]

This is San Francisco... who cares?

[@blokcomNativeFaces]

This is not based on fact, as far as I know, but I've heard rumors these developments in that area, including the Bay Bridge used material made in China. SF mayors, businessmen for Chinatown etc are deeply connected to China and CA in general. On a small scale I've heard first hand, things such as dishware used in restaurants are sold directly from China to SF, deals between city leaders, hotels and Chinese business wholesalers.

[@eleventy-seven]

@@bukboefidun9096 If you supported a rapist traitor for president your opinion is worthless.

[@ericdew2021]

There are layers of LLCs that hide all the various entities so that it would be impossible to determine who is at fault. And if that entity is ever found, it's long gone and the people belonging to that entity has disappeared. Maybe sitting on a beach in Thailand or Micronesia.

[@MikeRupertus2112]

One question to me is - is the tilt of the building putting strain on the windows ?

[@childofcascadia]

Thats what I want to know. The place I work is on the 50th floor in a city known to have huge fall windstorms. Ive seen 80 mph gusts slam directly into the building with no windbreaks. When they hit, thered be a low booming noise and I swear the window would flex slightly, but the glass wasnt fazed at all. And the building I work in was built in the mid 80s. I cant imagine glass failing just from a typical west coast windstorm in a modern building without some kind if additional stressors like building tilt or substandard material.

[@addanametocontinue]

Unclear. They did mention that this type of thing happened to several other buildings, so it seems less of an issue specifically with the Millennium tower and more with just how developers are managing windows and their mounts in the Bay area.

[@Cucumberflavoredmustard]

Two different problems. Differential settling- even in shorter masonry structures- will result in some diagonal cracking off the corners of the window frames, but the glass will stay intact.

[@bobpourri9647]

How could it not?

[@BenHeckHacks]

Of course. It's compression. Meanwhile the opposite side will stretch. This thing needs to be dismantled.

[@pamelahomeyer748]

I can't believe that they even allowed that type of window that opens at the bottom in addition to the lack of safety glass

[@bigradwolf5001]

Windows opening at bottom is common. All my windows open at bottom.

[@ryanshannon6963]

@@bigradwolf5001 I think she meant in terms of it being a high rise building. The purpose is to open during inclement weather so as not to allow water inside, but I see her point. I imagine there's some safety code in SF that states windows should open, so those were chosen. But, I'm not an inspector, so I'm speculating.

[@bigradwolf5001]

@@ryanshannon6963 I have a high-rise 50-story condo but it also opens from bottom. I assume all residential glass buildings open their windows from bottom. I think it's a safety code -- allows smoke to flow out, rescue to pinpoint the unit faster, etc. Whether it opens bottom or side is the question.

[@TheTheo58]

Since the original blueprints and design for the tower was to be constructed from steel, why didn't the city shut the job down when someone decided to go with concrete and enforcing rods? The foundation was not set down into bedrock and would not be able to support the added weight.

[@larrybe2900]

The last thing you want to do tn construction is design in variables at the basic requirements of stability. These designers had to know this had a chance of failure

[@yourmom10269]

duhhhh.... san fran... only a major, major, major earthquake could fix it..... the perfect symbol of the dimtopian new millenium/ world order.................

[@HiHo-zh4rd]

Because San Francisco sold out to the rich. Anything they wanted they were given. Now the city is failing. City Hall thought they only needed the rich. They didn't think about how the middle class purchasing things keeps businesses open.

[@suebruce493]

That must be a lie. They’d have to go back to the drawing board for that, pay the engineers again. No. What happened is they only made half the number of piles as was specified by the engineers. It’s a legitimate raft foundation, which only works with the full 30 something piles it was supposed to have. Even then, these mega high rises are all too tall for any foundation and what works on a regular high rise won’t work if the building is too tall for the size of the base. It’s a cascade of incompetent people all thinking that the tax payer will be stuck with the bill.

[@leonardcollings7389]

Not exactly. The system is based on friction piles and there simply is not adequate friction in the subsoil clay for this structure no matter how many piles they drove.@@suebruce493

[@thetruth3514]

The whole building is going to collapse before they can dismantle it. It’s going to be a new sad day in history.

[@eleventy-seven]

Magical thinking. Any respectable engineer will tell you it will get red tagged and disassembled. It's not made of bricks.

[@HiHo-zh4rd]

It is going to be funny. When disaster moves at a snail's pace and still takes people by surprise that is funny.

[@satyricon65]

They need to vacate the tower, and deconstruct that monstrosity.

[@ragazzi25]

They are reinforcing window frames while the building might collapse??? Insanity...the city officials are not worried one bit except for their salary!

[@everettduncan7543]

Furthermore, the glass involved is annealed, so it's potentially more dangerous

[@tennesseeplowboy6796]

The Tower is a spot on metaphor for San Francisco.

[@garymartin9777]

From City by the Bay to City IN the Bay.

[@theashpilez]

The million turd tower.

[@sew_gal7340]

The sad decline of the SF city

[@touredjacked4167]

San Francisco culture is on unsteady ground like Millennial. And, the City only welcomes tech and money. The result ensuesd. Let it be. It’s been a slow downfall since 911.

[@elcheapo5302]

Leaning heavily to the left and about to fail?

[@patriot5526]

This is a perfect example of the incompetency and bribery that exists is so many building departments. This problem should never have existed. The situation could have easily been avoided by experienced and competent engineers and inspectors. The absolute lack of integrity and knowledge in these city and county building departments is staggering. Any competent contractor could have seen this issue before beginning any construction.

[@planetfabulous5833]

They are probably diversity hires.

[@im1who84u]

Everyone involved knew it was wrong, so experienced and competent engineers and inspectors wouldn't have made a difference. Those are the people that knowingly built it wrong for the love of money. A competent contractor DID see the issue before beginning construction, but chose to take the money and look the other way. “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.” ~ Benjamin Franklin ~ Cheap labor isn't skilled. Skilled labor isn't cheap.

[@hudsonbronner]

What a debacle! I wouldn't spend a single night in that building--the only thought that would be racing through my head is the Surfside collapse.

[@tedsmith6137]

I would be more concerned about the window falling to road level while still securely attached to the building.

[@jlloyd2004mcs]

Screw the windows, let’s get that “less likely to lean anymore” to something like, “this building DOES NOT lean”.

[@mdj.6179]

When I was a kid growing up in SF we were told that ledges or balconies would be put outside of newly built skyscrapers to catch falling glass in earthquakes. I guess the planning department has forgotten that fifty years later...

[@Rohoactr]

The whole building should be condemned

[@TheTheo58]

This building sits within the City and County of San Francisco, why can't the city deem the building unsafe and condemn it?

[@shepardbook]

@@TheTheo58How much money has been spent again? That said…I agree, condemn it, abandon it, demolish it. Let the developer do the job properly out of their own pocket.

[@huntncover]

The whole city is condemned - they just don't realize it yet .

[@JohnAnthony0857]

@@huntncover 😏 True...

[@stick9648]

Too many politicians/bigwigs invested for that .

[@lolacookie453]

When that thing collapses they are going to have a massive lawsuit on their hands

[@calanon534]

They'll just leave it, and any buildings it destroyed on the way down, and say something about how too expensive, oppressive or bad for the environment it is to clean it up.

[@eleventy-seven]

It wont collapse just get red tagged and demolished as it should.

[@bobryan2856]

That’s a good joke. We live in times where there is zero accountability, no repercussions for anything, and nothing makes sense.

[@jkardez4794]

The construction company is ready to declare bankruptcy at the first shudder .

[@leonardcollings7389]

I think the massive lawsuits are already coming.

[@EngineVSEngine]

There is no way I would be living in that building or near it.

[@miketuttle9319]

A lot of people are saying just demolish it, which is probably the right answer, but someone has to take the financial responsibility for it, and so far there are no takers.

[@williamhaynes7089]

Its a condo.. each unit is owned by an individual like yourself.. a Condo association is formed by the 100's of unit owners and the association is resposible for the building... Thus each owner

[@miketuttle9319]

Yes, but how do you legally compel them to take a total loss? I'm guessing their insurance company wouldn't accept a a claim.@@williamhaynes7089

[@im1who84u]

California will just charge the taxpayers. Cheap labor isn't skilled. Skilled labor isn't cheap. “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.” ~ Benjamin Franklin ~

[@williamhaynes7089]

@miketuttle9319 in the case if the champlian towers in Florida... the 2 insurance companies that insured the building found it chraper to pay the policy maximum rather than fight tons of lawsuits when the cause isnt 100% verifiable. the policies were only a few million, nowhere close to what the building would cost to rebuild. In this case, there is no media circus, and the building didn't fall down.. the insurance won't cover it.

[@larrywong4966]

This building will be eventually torn down, too many problems what will never be solved. They are only kidding themselves and no one is going to take responsibility

[@rhuephus]

the torque and stress from the building sinking is causing the base problem. Like a house sinking over years, the doors no longer close, the sewer pipes get out of whack .... The Tower is this but on a power to the 1,000 times worse

[@UpUpDnDnLtRtLtRtBAStart]

Netflix needs to create a series from this. Every year there is some new news. They can just wait and run a season every year.

[@curtcollett2893]

Or make Towering Inferno II and really torch the thing.

[@bukboefidun9096]

Make sure Audrey here is the presenter.

[@eleventy-seven]

@costaht Actually that's true. Also the failed fix was approved by Ron Hamburger. Look him up. Guess what shade of white.

[@UpUpDnDnLtRtLtRtBAStart]

@costaht they should. It’s the structural engineers duty to examine the geotechnical report and design to the specifications. Some steps were missed here for the sake of cost savings.

[@markmark2080]

It will be interesting to see how it handles the next ground shaker...

[@DanielDaniel1]

Seems more like the structure is stressed. Being tilted already and adding in high winds has to load up the structure significantly.

[@dougthomson5544]

Take a crew up to the top of the building and start dismantling the building floor by floor. It is a disaster and has been a disaster from the get go.

[@surviveunplugged]

The building is tilting over and now the windows are falling out. There's an accounting concept of sunken costs. There's no way to retrieve what's already lost, but ya just don't wanna quit yet, so put another 100gs in or a mil if you'd like. That building may eventually need to simply be demolished.

[@kgan4733]

Not in our lifetime, so nobody is gonna do that

[@scottbowling58]

Glaze the windows closed like on other hi rises. The hinged frames cause too many problems.

[@jordansiqueido2101]

Thanks again Jackson, and SFNBC4. Can't take my eyes off this story. Keep everyone posted!

[@NastyDevil137]

Somehow the taxpayers will pay for this

[@billybrown7953]

Of course

[@te1ephraq]

new reparations are coming!

[@bukboefidun9096]

Mayor London Dog Breed will require the evil taxpayers pay.

[@stick9648]

And pay dearly .

[@JustSayN2O]

"in theory it shouldn't sink or lean any further." Correct. Now, it is flexing.

[@im1who84u]

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.” ~ Benjamin Franklin ~

[@86figs]

Let’s not forget the Salesforce building across from it had shattered windows around the same time as well.

[@salami99]

Yeah but this building needs press it actually is a greater hazard

[@86figs]

@@salami99 I think any building that has shattered windows should have press. Especially us who live around these towers.

[@jenkem4464]

@@86figs Apparently there's one massive high-rise in Vancouver Canada as well that was supposed to have windows that were to last 40-50 years but have started shattering from the heat in only 10 years because the developers cut costs and not put in the proper windows. Developers are apparently only going to have to shell out a few million when it will likely cost 20-30 million to fix and will come out of any NEW tenant pockets. Shady shady.

[@HiHo-zh4rd]

That whole area is sinking. The level of the sidewalks don't match the doorway levels anymore.

[@rontheoracle]

Imagine living or working in the building next to this one. The prices of buildings around that area must have gone free fall into the abyss.

[@salami99]

Perfect time to be homless and sue when the glass falls ez money

[@AmyC37217]

@@salami99 ....what good is money when you cant enjoy it because you are hooked to machines in a hospital or nursing home

[@williamhaynes7089]

2 sides of the building were put to bedrock... BUT the other two sides they hope will sink to level out the building.

[@cityman1111]

Imagine what would happen if even a mid level earthquake hit the area.

[@jkardez4794]

That would give it a great excuse .

[@kaeserd]

Guys you're missing the point. This tower is embarrassing and the glass could kill someone but think how diverse the people involved in the design and construction must have been.

[@halfdome4158]

😃❤❤❤❤💋Just like the imploded sub design team.

[@joymcarthur5429]

Not to mention the poor bastards it crashes down on.

[@HiHo-zh4rd]

They wanted to give a straight guy a chance at being creative. Leave them alone.

[@thanosave7112]

what it appears is that the window was left open in the wind storm and it was pushed closed by the wind and slammed hard against border and shattered

[@gotherecom]

Simple fix: Idiot-proof the windows. Glue all the windows CLOSED.

[@neekeyzonked5574]

I wouldn’t be able to rest peacefully living in the leaning tower of San Francisco

[@fatalberti]

as a veteran youtube consumer, this y2k tower is a metaphor for the character of sf. but it started during design review. city should’ve required third party review by developer and city should’ve commissioned its own. developer was already spending stupid money but somehow skimping on the foundation really saved enough money to make sense? the bldg has experienced differential settlement which could plausibly encourage window failure as the load-paths through the structure may change; some of which could create weird stresses in some windows. but maybe the developer opted for builder grade windows to save$

[@jesvans]

its falling down, when, not if.

[@eleventy-seven]

Jesvans, you need your meds. It will be demolished after it's red tagged.

[@dchapero6929]

I’m glad it took ‘experts’ to tell us that giant windows, falling from hundreds of feet, are dangerous.

[@stuartaaron613]

This brings back memories of Boston's John Hancock building in 1974 where the windows kept breaking and falling out.

[@HiHo-zh4rd]

Mafia? Wouldn't be surprised.

[@michael85225]

Take it down before an earthquake hits and the whole thing crashes down.

[@coldfinger459sub0]

Makes me wonder why my San Francisco house built in 1921 still has all the original same glass and window frames The millennium tower was just built a few years ago. What is their excuse .

[@Gfysimpletons]

L No one cares lady

[@Just..Me..]

Someone bought off the building inspectors.

[@timinwsac]

@@Gfysimpletons I thought she made a good point.

[@killmonger4169]

@@Gfysimpletonsshe makes a point.

[@salami99]

So ture but the tower is much taller this happend in USF a window would ocassionally fall off very old 1920s building tho

[@allengilby3054]

Just my humble opinon, people in SF have waaaaaay bigger worries than falling glass.

[@thomasgirty6397]

yeah. falling buildings.

[@allengilby3054]

@@thomasgirty6397 lol, I was thinking about crap on the sidewalks but.. what a shithole

[@bellagirlgirl8827]

the saga continues...

[@didamnesia3575]

Imagine paying 2 million for an apartment that doesnt have safety glass or a flat floor, or make you feel safe.

[@lewispaine4589]

Or pukes sewage on to your floors

[@geneard639]

I'm from down South where many houses are up on piers, and if a single pier fails the building racks and doors don't close or windows do not open. How can a building settle as much as this tower did and not wrack the structure making it unsafe?

[@jus10lewissr]

The work done in recent years did not make the tower any safer, unfortunately -- and definitely not in an earthquake-prone region like San Francisco. Just the fact that it developed a 29" lean at all blows my mind and them trying to save six million dollars by not driving piles all the way down to bedrock when originally constructing the building on weak mud clearly came back and bit them HARD in the ass, ultimately costing far more than six million for the half-ass repairs done to correct the issue. There are some excellent engineering channels on KZbin that go into great detail that are actually pretty scary. Honestly, the cracks in the basement and on the thick slab underneath the building are enough to make anyone want to steer clear of Millennium Tower so I can't even imagine being willing to enter it, let alone live in it. You'll also find more photos posted by residents showing cracks in multiple windows and walls caused by tension that may not be AS big of an omen as the cracked cement and the lean itself, but it's still enough to tell you what the stress caused to the building is doing to it. I know condemning it and taking it down may not seem like an option, but the deaths of it's residents and people in other buildings near by once the tower eventually fails to hold up vertically shouldn't be an option either.

[@hudsonbronner]

Ostensibly, the years of permitting, environmental reviews, and litigation that it takes to build anything in CA--especially in its big cities, are out of concern for safety and the environment. This cluster fornication shows the lengthy and onerous permitting process in CA is not b/c of due diligence concerns; rather, it's a process by which special interests hold projects up until they get something out of it for themselves.

[@jamessherosick2747]

As a contractor here in northern California, it is amazing to me that anything ever gets built at all.

[@huntncover]

Speak plainly - kickbacks and bribes under the table are standard procedure to enrich people that chose to not work for a living . Corruption at it's finest .

[@klj2382]

This place will be a bum palace one day

[@errorsofmodernism7331]

RIP to the pedestrians that will get hit by falling glass

[@im1who84u]

Hit by falling glass and a falling building.

[@MondoBeno]

I work on a super-tall office building construction site, and it's awful. These huge buildings are not only a danger to the public, but to the workers building them.

[@peter-pg5yc]

and it employs you

[@MondoBeno]

@@peter-pg5yc And if there's an accident, the insurance company has to pay, and they pass it on to everyone else in the form of higher premiums.

[@americandissident9062]

@@peter-pg5ycPoint?

[@suebruce493]

The people who support the building of these monstrosities leave the rudest comments. It shows the prideful mentality of the entire trend. It won’t be until they’re back in the poverty of their pirate ancestors that they’ll ever learn. And maybe not even then.

[@TobyStahler-yp9ll]

I found out yesterday, NYC has a tower under construction, it's leaning 3 inches and they're looking at demolition.

[@advancetotabletop5328]

“The scandal of the Millennium Tower turned decidedly more political this week when Aaron Peskin, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, told reporters that he had unearthed official documents showing that the city’s building inspection department had raised concerns about sinking seven years ago, just before the building was to open its doors. A letter sent by the city to the engineering firm spoke of “larger than usual” settlement of the structure and asked whether the consequences had been studied. Yet six months later, in August 2009, the city declared the building safe for occupancy. On Tuesday, Peskin questioned why the city had allowed people to move in. “I believe, and I know this is a very serious allegation,” Peskin said, “that there was some level of political interference.” The response to the city’s query by the engineering firm, DeSimone Consulting Engineers, is missing from the official record, Peskin said. He has called hearings for next Thursday, and city officials will be subpoenaed. The hearings are likely to capture the attention of the California political class because the mayor at the time the building was approved, Gavin Newsom, is now lieutenant governor and has aspirations to be governor.“ - Seattle Times, 2016.

[@Hobo_Mojo]

If you think that's scary, wait until they install Newsom as President.

[@dr.emilschaffhausen4683]

Swept under the rug.

[@jkardez4794]

He's got guts. Question is will he be willing to inhabit the Governor's office right at the Vera top .

[@RacerX1971]

Thats pressure from the building leaning to one side..this is going to get worse. I read somewhere that George Santos designed this tower😂

[@shadow.banned]

This tower is a perfect representative of SF. Failing catastrophically and its leaders deny the problem.

[@kevinmaarchitect301]

I am surprised there isn't more glazing failures given the movement of the building. Also, the window glazing seemed to meet all the conditions where safety glazing would required, except that the bottom edge is more than 18-inches above the finished floor. But, one could argue the window seat is a walking surface for kids and drunk adults.

[@James_Knott]

There has also been some concern about windows in tall towers in Toronto, Ont. There have been a few examples of windows breaking and falling to street level.

[@laszlozoltan5021]

failures reportedly attributed to (cheap) chinese sourced safety glass

[@tomtalley2192]

When they built the Hancock tower in Boston in the 70’s they had to hire people that lived facing all four directions from the building. The windows were popping out, and apparently they would change color right before popping out. Eventually they figured out how to prevent them from popping out, but can’t remember how. But, for a while people were getting paid to watch a side of the building.

[@jkardez4794]

You should go in for spring loaded glass which will take in the stress .

[@laszlozoltan5021]

@@jkardez4794 "spring loaded "? hmmm, and pop the window further out into the street ?

[@vircingitorixknightingale]

this is the same building a few months ago where they were interviewing this "expert" where he said "glass windows fall off all the time. It happens in Chicago, New York." As a Chicagoan, WTF is that guy talking about? We just had a Tornado and high winds for a whole 2 weeks non stop. No windows were falling off any buildings back here. Contractors prioritizing profits is a dangerous contractor. BEST OF LUCK, San Fran!!!

[@brucefriedman1]

Aaron Peskin's gargantuan ego is literally bending reality.

[@raulingaverage]

Surprised the Supervisor of that district (Peskin) continues to let this happen

[@therealpinoyhapa]

No surprise. Peskin simply does not care. Mayor Breed is the same. The building will fall and there will be a great tragedy and possibly loss of lives. SF is doomed.

[@chadsmith7075]

hes worried about a lawsuit not death

[@jkardez4794]

He doesn't have any choice in the matter . An organic solvent that will safely dissolve the entire structure is the only safe solution . Maybe the Chinese have perfected it .

[@im1who84u]

Follow the money and then it will make sense.

[@bboucharde]

This tower is a trenchant metaphor not only for San Francisco but also the US financial system.

[@HiHo-zh4rd]

It is my favorite structure on earth.

[@TimeSurfer206]

On a very comforting note, it has been calculated that, in an earthquake of sufficient magnitude to knock out the windows, but not strong enough to destroy the buildings, Downtown Seattle will be buried in 6 feet of glass shards.

[@douginorlando6260]

Can you imagine being inside that building during an earthquake?

[@larrybruce4856]

It sounds like the building is self-destructing on it's own. An earthquake will only expedite the collapse sooner.

[@evankolpack]

The Millennium Tower is a perfect analogy for San Francisco itself.

[@scott-qk8sm]

No way I would even go into that tower of doom

[@im1who84u]

"The Tower of Doom". I like that, lets see if it catches on.

[@dizzious]

Building is probably starting to flex, putting types of stress on the windows which they were not designed for.

[@billybrown7953]

Let's wait for the big one to take it down. LOL 😂

[@jesvans]

thats what it is. how many dominos will fall. i hope they get it on video

[@eleventy-seven]

Laugh at tragedy Hillbilly.

[@billybrown7953]

@@eleventy-seven Look at the democrat cheerleader that gives themselves a thumbs up. LOL 😂

[@douginorlando6260]

I blame the broken windows on residents who flushed stuff down the toilet. Signed … management. But seriously, why did that window 2 floors below break? It was the inner window,not the outer window bearing the wind force. And even if it did rattle around in the wind, how would that break the window in that pattern? Was the window frame somehow already putting stress on the pane?

[@daryllect6659]

It's just a matter of time before something very, very serious happens there.

[@dumbcat]

i can't even afford a condo in a building that is about to fall down

[@williamstevens1001]

He's brave to go in there. They probably wish it would just fall over.

[@Reaperman4711]

This is at least the second round of Millennium Tower 'local news' making it all the way to me all the way over on another coast. When I was younger, most of the news I heard out of the SF area was good news, but now it's exclusively awful.

[@jimtrack3786]

II am no expert on this, but how stable is this tower when the next tremors come? It seems like it's been jury rigged or duct taped to address it's leaning.

[@jkardez4794]

Can we blame the Chinese or North Korea for it .

[@im1who84u]

@@jkardez4794 I think it's Trumps fault.

[@billlonee9470]

It's not a matter of if the tower will fall, but when. You'll never catch me anywhere near that deathtrap. Of course, no one will be held responsible, in any meaningful way, either.

[@deborahriley1166]

Time to remove this big problem!!!🤨

[@spacelemur7955]

Why are we ignoring the steam-powered car, complete with ocean-liner-sytle smokestack at 2:20 ?

[@Decoy0527]

This tower situation gets more interesting as each month goes by. Seems to be heading to a point where the once unthinkable abandonment might become reality. How many people want to live in this building? Not me. How many people will buy a resale under current circumstances? Probably close to zero. The comes a time to cut losses and move on. And additionally, downtown San Francisco was a much more desirable place to live when this tower was in the planning stage.

[@gotherecom]

Turn the whole building into a homeless shelter.

[@jkardez4794]

The tower in Pisa still hasn't fallen ; no complaints of windows or loose stones .

[@glennszalayjr6702]

I was a high-rise building operator for 24 years ending 2012. The dirty little secret behind such glass issues often relates to the relative air pressure inside the structure vs. outside the structure. Even where the architects and engineers have correctly designed mechanical systems to compensate for operational variations in force-balance air pressure stresses upon the curtain wall (including windows) mistakes in actual construction and/or such as fan control errors can result in glass failure. Any time. Just consider that the taller the building, the greater is this "stack effect" in play. Correct procedures in building commissioning, prior the outset of occupancy, remain critical. IS THIS BEING DONE?

[@dvdgalutube]

Who is the developer of this building? All the major players of building this building need to be named and published!

[@erth2ingrid]

yes ! please, i'd like to know

[@erth2ingrid]

Handel Architects "World-class Architecture" ...lol

[@eleventy-seven]

Failing attempt at fix, Ron Hamburger.

[@jkardez4794]

@@tb-777 Sounds like the family gathering .

[@icecreamforcrowhurst]

Either the supervisor is 4 feet tall or the reporter is a giant.

[@rbrtmllr]

Yes is correct. That is float or annealed glass; not tempered (shatters into pebbles) or laminated (stays attached to a film). Basically falling daggers.

[@brysoncherry9884]

As opposed to something falling from lethal velocity because we're basically water balloons.

[@suebruce493]

Slice and dice.

[@chrislimnios9180]

This will be a catastrophe in the next 10 years. I feel really sorry for anyone in or near that building during the next decent sized earthquake.

[@juicyfruit6311]

Rename the Tower as The Rockaway. Now lean back Lean back Lean back Lean back

[@carlosjr8649]

😂🤣👍🏽

[@pilsudski36]

Why oh why - in a city famous for destructive earthquakes - did city authorities permit the construction of a high rise building without driving the foundation pilings down to bedrock? This building should be evacuated and dismantled before it collapses. Believe this.

[@dylanbuchman8128]

Disgusting. This is why there are so many laws making it difficult to construct new buildings--too many of the loaded, money-hungry pricks investing in them have no concern for quality and safety and just want their bottom lines to be as low as possible. They need to be held accountable for this and the law needs to be changed to prevent this

[@mycobrahatesyou]

This shows why the over regulation does not work. It screws the middle class doing small upgrades to their home but the big boy developers pay off crooked govt employees to bypass them. At some point this state will learn that more iron-fisted corrupt govt is not the answer, but it will be too late.

[@im1who84u]

Cheap labor isn't skilled. Skilled labor isn't cheap. “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.” ~ Benjamin Franklin ~

[@rhuephus]

and the San Fransisco building inspectors still give a "good bill of health" -- it should have NOT been allowed to be built in the first place. Like most deteriorating cites, nothing will be done until people die because of this failure.

[@Chad-Giga.]

This is the coolest window inspector in the game

[@SyriusStarMultimedia]

Subpar construction in private homes. Subpar construction in apartment complexes. Subpar construction in townhouses. Subpar construction in high end skyscrapers. That’s what equal opportunity should look like.

[@thomastucker5686]

To determine if the windows are under stress, one would need to know which windows experience the most deformation due to leaning. The side facing the direction of the lean would experience the least stress(I think). The east side might also not load the window frames, but north and south will experience the most deformation. What are the limits and does the building lean perfectly or is there more lean or bend or stress loading in the mid lower floors as one would expect?

[@joymcarthur5429]

The 2 opposite sides would have opposite stress. On the side it leans toward, there would be abnormal downward stress at some points. On the opposite side, some points would be getting abnormal upward stress. Bend a stick for illustration.

[@1Gokartgeek1]

A broken window makes national news? Gotta say, I didn't see that one coming

[@JohnJFong]

Just don’t visit live or work in SF

[@jerrypolverino6025]

This building needs to come down before it kills.