Construction Failure On Hines San Francisco Apartment Project Forces Evacuation

UPDATE, FEB. 15, 9:23 P.M.: Residents at 44 Tehama, the only neighboring building still under the evacuation order, can call 311 for updates on building occupancy.

UPDATE, FEB. 15, 9:02 P.M.: All evacuations have been lifted except for the neighboring 44 Tehama. The San Francisco Fire Department has declared the situation resolved.

UPDATE, FEB. 15, 7:13 P.M.: In a press briefing, the San Francisco Fire Department said workers were taking steps to stabilize the platform that had given way earlier today. A strut on a platform holding a pump failed causing the platform to lean. Buildings and streets will remain closed until that platform is stabilized, which could be as soon as 10 p.m. Tehama Street may remain closed while they continue to work on the fix tomorrow. The San Francisco Fire Department said construction crews erred on the side of caution and the response to stop work when they did was appropriate. 

ORIGINAL STORY:

Evacuations were ordered Wednesday afternoon at several office buildings on Howard, Tehama and Second streets in San Francisco after concrete forms on the roof of 33 Tehama failed, threatening the integrity of the concrete boom at the center of the project.

Non-essential construction crews were also evacuated, reports SF Gate. Previous reports said a 2,000-pound wall of concrete was at risk of falling, which Hines, in a statement released Wednesday evening, said was not true. Hines also said the crane on the roof is at no risk of falling.

The wall became unstable soon after crews removed the molding used to set the concrete wall, according to San Francisco Fire Department spokesperson Lt. Jonathan Baxter. The boom is in the center of the top level. No injuries or damage were reported.

An interior forming system had a partial hydraulic failure while being raised to the next level, the developer said. The accident occurred between the 35th and 36th floors. The interior forming system and concrete placement arm have been secured and engineers are evaluating it to bring it back to level.

A Fire Department assistant chief said the building has not been compromised. An engineer is being flown in from Washington state to help address the situation.

33 Tehama, previously known as 41 Tehama, is a 403-unit multifamily building being developed by Hines and Invesco. Lendlease is the construction management firm. Work on the 37-story building broke ground in 2015 and the project is expected to finish later this year.

This story will be updated.