Hard Rock Hotel Collapse

1031 Canal was a partially collapsed multi-use high-rise building in New Orleans, Louisiana, located at 1031 Canal Street in the Central Business District. If completed, the project would have been known as the Hard Rock Hotel New Orleans.

On October 12, 2019, the under-construction building partially collapsed, resulting in the deaths of three workers and injuring dozens of others. The building was subsequently demolished. government officials were debating the project's future and the potential culpability of various people and organizations involved.

On April 3, 2020, OSHA found that the structural engineer had "failed to adequately design, review or approve steel bolt connections affecting the structural integrity of the building". The engineer has denied wrongdoing and is appealing the findings. Felony charges against three former building inspectors were recommended by the New Orleans Office of Inspector General.

History

The location was originally a Woolworth store constructed in the 1930s. The store has been vacant since the 1990s.

After months of controversy, on September 22, 2011, the New Orleans City Council voted 5–2 to approve an application by developer Praveen Kailas to build a high-rise complex on the site. As proposed the building would have included 300 apartment units, a 500-space parking garage and of retail space on the first two floors. The project had undergone a lengthy and controversial development process.

A permit to demolish the existing building was issued in April 2014, and demolition began in October 2014, with completion scheduled for 2016.

Following the demolition of the Woolworth building, there was little progress made on the site until February 2018, when Kailas announced a partnership with Hard Rock to turn the new building into the Hard Rock Hotel New Orleans. The new plan maintained the already-approved height, massing, and general design of the tower. Plans for the interior then included 350 hotel rooms, 65 1–3 bedroom units available for purchase, an upscale restaurant, of event space, and a 400-space parking garage.

Partial collapse during construction

On Saturday, October 12, 2019, at approximately 9:12 a.m. during construction, the structure partially collapsed on the North Rampart Street side. Three workers died and dozens of others were injured.

On April 3, 2020, OSHA found that the structural engineer had "failed to adequately design, review or approve steel bolt connections affecting the structural integrity of the building". Some workers and a contractor said they had complained about unsafe practices before the collapse, and one posted a video of what he said was the construction site showing insufficient support for the structure. Investigators said they would evaluate the information. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell called for the entire building to be demolished.

On January 15, 2020, a petition to demolish three neighboring historic buildings located at 1019 and 1027 Canal, and 1022 Iberville Street was to be considered by the Historic District Landmarks Commission for the Central Business District. At the time, the collapsed 18-story building had not yet been removed. Ultimately, the City of New Orleans issued an emergency declaration ordering the demolition of the neighboring three structures due to safety concerns with the demolition. A few days earlier, the developer had requested a delay in the decision-making process pending the finalization of the demolition methodology. New Orleans was advocating for an implosion using explosives without proper insurance, while the developer favored a traditional demolition.

By April, the developer and the city were in dispute regarding the demolition, with the developer describing code enforcement regarding the demolition as "farcical". In June, demolition of surrounding buildings commenced after the developer was forced to gain approval to conventionally demolish the structure in court over the objections of the City of New Orleans, which was attempting to implode the building; in August, ten months after the collapse, the bodies of the second and third victims were recovered. After repeated delays due to tropical weather, demolition was expected to be complete by that December; by mid-December the towers were demolished and clearing of debris was underway.

Investigations and legal actions

The New Orleans inspector general's office filed a report with the New Orleans district attorney on or about July 28, 2021 recommending felony charges against former city building inspector Julie Tweeter who was supposed to check on work at the Hard Rock Hotel before it collapsed in October 2019. Inspector General Edward Michel also recommended charges against former city building inspectors Thomas Dwyer and Eric Treadaway in investigation reports submitted to District Attorney Jason Williams. However, a Grand Jury found Julie Tweeter not guilty and the District Attorney did not file the charges against her.

Shortly after the collapse in October 2019, a lawsuit was filed in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court against the developer, architects, engineers, and other companies involved in the construction of the building on the behalf of ten of the victims. The suit alleged that "the design, planning, and construction of the structure ..was inadequate, likely to cause harm, and did cause harm to the plaintiffs and others" and laid out specific claims against the developer. In September 2022, Judge Kern Reese of the Orleans Parish Civil District Court appointed Baton Rouge mediator John Perry Jr. as special master to arbitrate a settlement between a committee of plaintiffs' attorneys and the companies involved under this and other lawsuits.

References

Hard Rock criminal probe delayed as Inspector General fires investigator

External links

{{Commons category

Redevelopment of 1031 Canal St., Official Website
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Archived version 2018



Buildings and structures in New Orleans
Unfinished buildings and structures in the United States
Building and structure collapses in the United States
Building and structure collapses in 2019
Buildings and structures demolished in 2020