San Francisco’s Millennium Tower’s tilt deepens as engineers rush to reverse lean
The Millennium Tower in San Francisco has continued to tilt and sink, despite efforts by architects to stabilize the building. The tower, which costs millions of dollars per unit, is now leaning more than 29 inches at the corner of Fremont and Mission streets. This is a half an inch deeper than previously thought, according to data reviewed by NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit. Engineers dug beneath the sinking condo earlier this year to support the weight of the tower along its two sides, which caused the half-inch tilt. The tower was built on a former landfill, which is a factor in its instability. The engineers behind the project claim that the data on tilting may not be reliable, as rooftop figures are prone to weather fluctuations. However, foundation-based data shows the tower is tilting more towards the west than ever before. The engineers plan to secure the dozen piles sunk along Fremont Street that will bear the partial weight of the building load, in the hopes of reversing the tilt by the end of the month.
FAQs:
What is the Millennium Tower in San Francisco?
The Millennium Tower is a high-end building in the heart of the city, which costs millions of dollars per unit.
Why is the Millennium Tower tilting?
The tower is built on a former landfill, which is a factor in its instability.
What are engineers doing to stabilize the tower?
Engineers are securing the foundation to a dozen piles sunk along Fremont Street that will bear the partial weight of the building load.
When do engineers plan to finish the stabilization project?
Engineers hope to reverse the tilt by the end of the month.
Why may data on tilting be unreliable?
Rooftop figures are prone to weather fluctuations, according to the engineers. Purely foundation-based data is more reliable.
Engineers rush to reverse the tilt of San Francisco’s Millennium Tower as it continues to deepen.
The Millennium Tower in San Francisco, dubbed the “leaning tower of San Francisco,” continues to tilt and sink despite engineers’ efforts to steady it. The tower, which costs millions of dollars per unit, is currently tilting more than 29 inches at the Fremont and Mission streets corner. Monitoring data reviewed by NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit shows that the tower’s tilt is now over half an inch deeper than previously thought. Engineers dug beneath the condominium to support the structure, which was built on a former landfill, during the projects’ first phase of work. However, the half-inch tilt was reportedly gained during that process. Engineers have seen progress in stabilizing the north side along Mission Street but it may have come at the cost of the tower’s west side, according to the data. The foundation-based data shows that the lean towards the west has increased, but only by about a quarter of an inch, which engineers claim as “negligible”. Engineers plan to secure the foundation to the dozen piles sunk along Fremont Street; the piles will bear the partial weight of the building load. The aim is to reverse the tilt by the end of the month.