A couple of years ago, a fellow who worked on the "Leaning Tower of SoWhat" confirmed on this blog that the condo was off plumb by something like seven inches.

Well, if it is leaning, it's leaning to the left.

nationally, during the construction boom, there was a lot of shoddy construction. see "leaky condo syndrome". its not a portland problem specifically. just more ill effects of the housing boom/bust.

I know someone who lives in the Ardea and it may not be leaning, but there are some major "settlement" issues. Considering a lot of that land is old river bed / fill, no surprise. However, I'm sure Homer/G-E have a big liability shield somewhere.

Apparently, maintenance has a 24/7 job fixing large cracks and electrical outlets that are shorting out (from wires stretched and cut by building movement).

It'll be great to witness if it falls from the new no-car bridge.

The new city to emulate is Pisa!

However, I'm sure Homer/G-E have a big liability shield somewhere.

Didn't the city approve the plans and inspections?

Anybody who know about the "construction defect" racket can predict the outcome:

Plantif's attorney: $200,000
Plantif's expert: $200,000
Insurance defense attorney: $100,000
Actual cost to complete repairs above and beyond what is necessary: $500,000

All paid by insurance.

Cost to unit owners for bad PR and un-marketability/finance-ability while the lawyers run up the bills will be in the millions.

Forgot the $200,000 to the defense's "experts"

It's leaning? I'm just glad we're not due for a 9.0 earthquake.

I hope that big liability shield wasn't the Portland taxpayer.

Seems like the top fashion design in Portland these days is the lawsuit.

Although quite pricey it appears to be the only way to get any attention.

I remain curious as to just what is the occupancy rate of those bunkers?...whether condo ownership or apartment rental?

Anybody know?

I'm not usually given to biblical references, but:

". . . a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."

Although quite pricey it appears to be the only way to get any attention.

Unsettling it is when elected officials are supposed to represent the public. I don't know how they can sit in their "royal perches" in our public city chambers and after hearing testimony from the public, they turn on them and vote against them? They seem to with ease dish out this treatment to the people.

They get mighty upset if any clapping for the public, or if a comment they don't like is made towards them.

They don't have to pay for any legal help, we pay for that too!

Want four more years of that?

Anyone who buys units in those buildings either has money to throw away, or is unaware of the risk of enormous special assessments in the future. In addition to the points raised in the comments already, the mechanical systems of at least some of those towers are located below ground, presumably to make more room for spendy units on the upper floors. Those sub-floors are designed to allow them to fill with water in the event of a flood or high water table, so they don't become buoyant and create stress on the foundation, but if that happens, the expensive mechanical systems have to be repaired or replaced.

Yes, the area is due for a nice 8.7 quake and that will put some slack in those Tram cables.

We shouldn't be taking chances that a condo tower will fall in a heap. That's what the Ross Island Bridge is for.

Re: "Well, if it is leaning, it's leaning to the left."

gibby,

Could you be more specific about which way is "left?"

When viewing an object without inherent differentiation between sinistral and dextral, doesn't "left" depend upon your own location or point of view?

Gardiner, that's Gibby's point.