Vacate letter says Dockside must provide report on structure threat by Friday

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – A vacate letter sent by the City of Charleston to the Dockside Association details corrective actions the Dockside board must take after residents of a condominium tower and nearby townhomes were evacuated last week due to structural concerns.

All residents of the Dockside Condominiums and nearby townhomes were ordered to evacuate by 5 p.m. on Feb. 28.

In the vacate order sent by the City of Charleston to the Dockside Board of Directors, the city ordered the board to have its engineer evaluate the threat the condo tower poses to the townhomes and other neighboring properties.

According to the order obtained by News 2, the board must provide the engineering report to the city by 5 p.m. Friday. Also due tomorrow, the engineer must provide an updated summary of corrective action, conduct a visual interior survey of each unit to identify signs of distress and inform the city of the severity and nature of the threat to the surrounding properties.  

The building sits on Concord Street next to the International African American Museum and South Carolina Aquarium.

A second report that evaluates the likelihood of a progressive tower floor collapse is due to city officials by Friday, Mar. 14, at 5 p.m. Officials did not provide an update on when residents would be allowed back in the evacuated properties.

Around 60-70% of the condo towers’ 112 units were occupied when the evacuation occurred.

Built in the 1970s, the tower has a history of structural issues that were discovered in 2022 after contractors found problems with the column and floor connection of a private unit.

Following the discovery, the Dockside Association Board hired an engineering firm, SKA, to inspect the building.

Inspectors were able to investigate 16% of the building because of the intrusive inspections only some residents would allow inspections. Based on SKA’s findings, the problem stemmed from the initial construction, not a gradual deterioration.

Although SKA recommended temporary shoring efforts, they did not say the tower was unsafe.

After the SKA report, the Dockside Association hired another engineering firm, WJE, to investigate further, particularly to assess the load capacity of the floors, according to information provided by the city.

On Feb. 25, WJE notified the association that the building was unsafe, and residents were subsequently informed of an evacuation plan.

The association notified the city about the report at 11:30 a.m. on Feb. 26.