Several towers in Sunny Isles Beach are experiencing subsidence at rates significantly higher than anticipated, prompting discussions about whether settlement monitoring should become standard practice on South Florida’s barrier islands.
The Miami Herald reviewed numerous engineering reports that cover much of the local skyline. According to experts interviewed by the publication, it remains challenging to predict how much recently built towers in Sunny Isles Beach will settle over time.
It is normal for buildings to settle into the ground after construction; however, when that sinking is excessive or uneven, it can create long-term issues. These can include cracked pipes and facades, as well as doors, windows, and floors that shift out of alignment.
Some of the newest towers rising in Sunny Isles—such as Dezer Development’s Bentley Residences and the two-tower St. Regis Residences—are being constructed with foundations reaching depths of up to 200 feet, or the equivalent of 20 stories below ground. Last month, Dezer secured a $630 million construction loan from Madison Realty Capital for Bentley Residences. Bank OZK also recently increased construction financing for Fortune International Group and Château Group’s St. Regis Residences to $418.3 million.
None of the experts interviewed expressed immediate concerns about the structural integrity or safety of these buildings. However, there is currently no protocol in place for monitoring how completed towers continue to settle and shift, or how this movement might impact neighboring structures.
According to a University of Miami study published last year, nearly three dozen buildings from Miami Beach to Sunny Isles Beach are sinking at “unexpected” rates. Researchers found that these structures include the Four Seasons Residences at the Surf Club in Surfside, as well as the Porsche Design Tower and Estates at Acqualina in Sunny Isles. The study utilized seven years of satellite imagery, tracking reference points such as balconies, air conditioning units, and boardwalks to measure shifts in the buildings between 2016 and 2023.
The research revealed subsidence ranging from two to eight centimeters (less than an inch to about three inches), with the most pronounced effects observed in Sunny Isles.
— Katherine Kallergis
Read more
