A structural engineering firm hired by the developer says the condo building and parking structure at Sienna Evanston are safe, despite the partial collapse of the parking structure this weekend.
But the city’s Community Development Director, Jim Wolinski, says while “it’s nice to hear” that the the firm STS Consultants Ltd. hired by developer Roszak/ADC “is saying the building is safe,” the city still needs to do its own inspection.
Mr. Wolinski said late this afternoon that he’d just received the plans for shoring up the garage at 1712 Oak Ave. and had been told the shoring work won’t be done until Friday.
Once the shoring is finished, the city plans to have engineers from Wiss Janney Elsner Associates of Northfield, which did the initial review of the project while it was being permitted, check the property’s condition.
A news release from the developer says residents will be able to move back into their homes as soon as Friday, May 18, “pending re-connection and re-inspection of the building’s fire sprinklers and alarms.”
But Mr. Wolinski said, “We’re not releasing the building to the residents until we’re absolutely sure it’s safe.”
The developer says its engineers are expected to have a report on the cause of the collapse within two or three weeks.