City presents third‑party peer review after police headquarters deflection discovery; AECOM pledges financial responsibility

A third‑party structural review of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department headquarters found multiple design and construction issues that contributed to roof and beam deflection and required foundation remediation, city staff and outside engineers told the commission on Feb. 18.

The city hired Weiss‑Janney Elstner & Associates (WJE) for an independent peer review after earlier corrective work and a stop‑work order in 2024 failed to resolve continuing deflection. WJE’s Phase 1 report — delivered in December 2024 — concluded that some roof cantilever and third‑story column elements were not code‑compliant in their original design and that earlier rectification efforts did not fully bring the elements into compliance. WJE identified repair paths including additional piles and pile caps at the foundation, and window‑wall design adjustments to accommodate predicted deflection over time.

Why it matters: Commissioners were shown modeling and monitoring plans intended to predict the long‑term creep (time‑dependent deflection) of the concrete structure and to ensure the building envelope and curtain walls are designed to accommodate movement without chronic leaks or ongoing moisture intrusion. City staff…