DBI faces scrutiny after Crown Terrace collapse; commission seeks answers and tighter inspection protocols

Commissioners spent the largest portion of their Feb. 19 Building Inspection Commission meeting probing the department's response to the Dec. 16 collapse at 125 Crown Terrace and pressing for more transparency and stronger special-inspection protocols.

Commissioner Deborah Walker read a statement raising detailed concerns about the collapse investigation, asking whether required special-inspection reports for towers and footings were submitted and signed and noting that the reported valuation of work appeared far below the ultimate cost. "I have concerns that our protocols and policies would allow such a grave oversight," Walker said in the prepared remarks read into the record.

DBI Director Tom Hui told the commission the department responded immediately the morning after the incident, sent inspectors to the site and prepared an internal report and action plan. Hui acknowledged "some oversight by my staff" and said the department had engaged an independent review by the General Services Agency (GSA) and other consultants. He described a plan that includes weekly reports from the project sponsor and additional on-site inspection frequency, and said personnel actions may be under separate, confidential human-resources or city-attorney investigations.

Rodrigo Santos, the project's engineer, said the sponsor had obtained soil-stabilization and foundation permits, paid penalty fees and adjusted the permit valuation to approximately $1,570,000, and that special inspections for soils, drilling and shoring were in place. Santos said the team was providing weekly written updates and images to DBI and expected another five weeks to complete the foundation work.

Luke O'Brien, who identified himself as the project manager, asked the commission for a future agenda item so the project team can present their timeline and the steps they took; he disputed some report language and said the collapse was an accident. "We hope to have this on the agenda next month," O'Brien said, adding that he and colleagues wanted an opportunity to identify what they see as deficiencies in the report.

Commissioners repeatedly pressed DBI on whether issues could have been caught earlier, including why the work's valuation rose significantly only after the collapse and whether continuity of inspectors on a complicated site contributed to missed signals. Commissioner concerns included whether staff assigned less-experienced inspectors consecutively and whether established observation protocols for cribbing and shoring should be tightened.

City Attorney office representatives told the commission there is an active investigation into potential employee disciplinary matters and advised caution about public disclosure of personnel matters; the city attorney's office recommended handling those investigatory materials with DBI, DHR and counsel as needed.

DBI staff described current on-site monitoring: senior building inspection staff and the chief building inspector will visit the site twice weekly to monitor movement, and district inspectors will oversee reinforcement and concrete pours. DBI said special-inspection reports are being submitted by the sponsor and will be reviewed as part of the weekly oversight.

The commission did not take a formal vote on policy changes at the meeting but asked staff to return with fuller answers to Commissioner Walker's specific questions and to bring the matter back for further discussion, including the possibility of closed-session review of sensitive personnel or investigative details.

What happens next: Commissioners directed DBI and the project sponsor to supply additional documents and asked the commission chair to schedule follow-up information at the next meeting, with the possibility of a closed session for matters involving ongoing investigations or personnel actions.