By John Boling
On October 7, 2024, IIBEC sent a letter to the mayor of Wilmington, North Carolina, and the city council recommending that they consider establishing a building facade inspection program in light of two recent building failures. The letter was signed by IIBEC Executive Vice President and CEO Brian Pallasch; IIBEC Region II Director Nicholas Tribble, RRO; and IIBEC Carolinas Chapter President Scott Singleton, PE, RRC.
“Thankfully, the two building failures did not result in injuries, but considering the age of Wilmington’s buildings in its historic district, a facade inspection program is a logical step,” Pallasch stated.
While the average age of buildings in the US is more than 55 years, the 10 oldest buildings in Wilmington were built between the years of 1738 and 1810.
Added Tribble, “We recommend using ASTM E2270, Standard Practice for Periodic Inspection of Building Facades for Unsafe Conditions, which provides a framework for the city to build a program around—one that takes into account the local needs and variances.”
Wilmington would be following the footsteps of other US cities like Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Milwaukee, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and St. Louis, all of which have ordinances requiring periodic inspections.
The letter concludes by stating, “As fellow residents of the great state of North Carolina, we stand by ready to be of assistance.”
If there is a historic district or a general need for a facade inspection program in your city or town, please contact John Boling to discuss a plan of action.
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