How San Francisco Plans To Fix The Sinking Millennium Tower
By Rebekah Gonzalez
October 13, 2021
Five years ago San Francisco residents learned that the city's Millennium Tower was sinking and leaning.
A plan was created to reinforce the building by sinking pilings down to the bedrock, according to KRON.
However, when that plan went into action at the start of this summer, it turned out the pilings were causing more sinking and tilting.
The tower is currently tilting more than 22.5 inches toward Fremont Street and 9 inches toward Mission.
Now, engineers have hatched another plan to save the 58 story tower. Engineers have created a revised installation pilot program that started this week.
They suspect that some of the potential causes are the vibrations from the drilling or the over-excavation of soil.
On Tuesday, October 12, engineers began a key soil test to determine what exactly is prompting the tilting and leaning. The test will take about two days, according to NBC Bay Area.
Project engineers and city officials will closely monitor the work. Sensors have also been set up to collect data.
According to KRON, if the new plan also causes additional sinking and tilting, the repair project will be stopped and engineers will go back to the drawing board.
Supervisor Aaron Peskin will also be holding a hearing on the future of the Millennium Tower early next month to discuss their latest series of issues.