structure and most importantly there are a number of unreinforced concrete retaining walls that retain the earth as the building steps up the slope of the street. and those walls have started to fail and they have actually started to rotate out as they have rotated out, the floor slabs that were retained on the earth that were protected by those walls, have actually sunk down in some places as much as 18 inches. and the building is dangerous, and that work does need to be done to repair that and in addition, we have designed a seismic upgrade to comply with the soft story ordinance and at this point he will turn the floor over to the colleague to talk about the specific up grades that we have recommended. >> i don't know if this pointer will work, the retaining wall

in question, that so severely deteriorated is the middle. >> can you indicate that it may be on the overhead? >> maybe that will work better. >> okay. >> and that is the lap top. >> yeah. >> and thank you. >> he can use it. >> and the mouse is not really working. >> it is the darkest line in the middle of it. >> maybe ask your colleague to point it out up there. >> okay. >> thank you. >> so, that retaining wall as ron mentioned is constructed of wood and concrete. so there is actually wood that supports some of the soil, that wood is roted out and the wall is rotated and it is cracked away from the return walls and that is the largest concern and that supports a bearing wall and so that the levels above that wall are supporting the floor framing one level up. and if that wall were to fail, you would have partial collapse of that zone of the building and so that is a significant concern of ours. and other deteriorated elements

are crumbling concrete footings in areas of the building, and deteriorating framing includesing studs and bearing wall studs and joists in areas of the building and as ron mentioned we have the basement slab which is carved and crumbled and has sunk and we have the areas of crumbling brink and the wall at the lion street elevation. and we have joists resting on dirt. and so that there is not even a crawl space and all of those joists that are resting on the dirt are the lowest unit are deteriorated so there is a lot of heating and settlement of the floor system in the lowest unit. >> and we have the sagging bay window on the lion street elevation and it has saged several inches and is a certain to us..., and all of the work that we are proposing in the permitted and approved work, would repair all of these conditions, and bring them back into the code compliance conditions, and improve all of these conditions and including a brand new retaining wall and

reframing all of the wood deteration and replacing the wood where it is deter ating and the brick where it is crumbling. the additional soft story work will consist of a nominal amount of new work, and you know, sixth of the budget that is already in place to put the new plywood walls arn the perimeter of the building. >> as well as the walls that you can see in the image. >> thank you. >> mr. duffy? >> the permit started off in 2012, and it had run through

the planning department for review and it got approved, and it got reviewed by one of our structural engineers, and on 10, 29, 2012 and it was reviewed by the fire department and it was then that there was no more action on it until april 18, 2013 when they came in to pay for the permit and it is an over the counter permit and it appears to be for the building and i did go to the building at the request. and there is a retaining wall that is in the good condition that definitely needs immediate work done to it, i did not really, it was really just on the ground floor i did not notice all of the other things that the engineer referenced but there definitely was the retaining wall needs to get fixed sooner rather than later, and i am available for any questions. >> the extent of the work as described on the permit, and with your experience and

knowledge, what would you, when you see that level of work, that is required, or you know, on the permit, how would you estimate the time for doing that? on if you can. >> well, it is a $250,000 value. and there is some plans in the brief there, that i am not sure if they are, the approved plans and i did not see any approval stamps on them and depending on the number of people that you work in the crew you could do it in months rather than years. >> that permit is going to last for over 12 months and from the building department point of view. and >> the permit is going to last. >> the work itself. >> and you would imagine months rather than, >> six months. >> maybe six and in my percent, that is all depends on i think that we have had this question before and the contract and there the people that you pop on there and the plumbing work that needs done as well and i think that they are going to have to shore the building up

to do some of the structural work. >> and so much of it is of everybody and we have heard the testimony that people have been asked to leave by a certain period of time, is there a way and i am trying to understand how much time we are taublging about that people might be displaced. >> based on what you have seen on the permit in your experience and knowledge. >> yeah ethere is some things that you can live through these things. we have had this before us as well. and it is difficult for me to say that, and how long it will take, or what needs to, the level of it, i would prefer that the permit holder to answer that question. but, in my experience, from ibuilding inspection point of view, it is better to get this work done, in a timely fashion, and it is definitely something that you don't want to drag out. >> what is the time range?

>> you know, would i say 6 months. >> i would not be, i don't think that i am wrong in saying that. >> not a time, when you say six months, are you saying six months where people should not be living there >> if you get the units ready before the others and it all depends on how you schedule it but if there is a... >> do you, i don't know, but, do you have to, contemplate the weather conditions as well for this type of project? >> yeah you could work around the weather on this case and not taking the roof off or anything like that, it is mostly inside work. >> and i think that there is a certain about the electrical, and that there might be more wrong with the electrical than they thought. there is an electrical permit in place but it appears to be basement area and now they are

saying that now the electrical needs the up greating in the whole building and i don't know that yet and i need to get the electrical inspection division to verify that and also the plumbing is concerns, that i think, that someone mentioned that the electrical is in dangerous condition. and so, that would be a certain that if they are going to do that, you know, that is going to open up the walls, and so you would not be living there through that. >> and holding on to the time is difficult for dbi to do because the permit lasts for a certain amount of time. >> thank you. >> would you agree that the word contemplated here is very labor intensive? >> without seeing the plans, i can't really answer that 100 percent, but i would say that, it seems to be and most of the work and you would imagine that the work is going to take place foundation, and sheer walls, and you know, the labor insensitive but i don't think that they are totally touching 100 percent of the building to

do the work just the certain areas. >> but it is all wood framed. and the amount of work that is anticipated there is quite extensive and it is probably more cost effective for them to do this and to ignore the existing electrical and plumbing and come back and put it back in. just working around it. >> and i didn't hear anything from the permit holder of how they are going to schedule the work and how they were going to do that and what you know what impact that was and that would be be a good question. >> mr. duffy, the permit that is before us, does that contemplate the soft story work and all of this other? or this is just a partial? >> no, they want to add some of the soft story work to this permit, and i believe that is what he mentioned pulling in some ply woods and that is not part of the permit. >> they have not come back to you? >> it might be try to add it on

to this permit, but they would need to get an additional permit of some type to add the additional scope of work. >> but the work that they want to do is not in the current permit. >> i believe not. that is what they said earlier that they want to add the work. >> they were speaking like 13 percent more work on top of what they had permitted. add plywood and want to do it all in one project rather than take people out pop them back in and do something later which does make sense. >> one last question. so looking at the over all permit history of the property besides the ones that are in we this evening, what does the permit history look like on that property? >> i looked at the permit history, there were permits revoked on the board of appeals, for the fire escape issues, and i did for the

really look into it, but there were permits revoke and what i saw on the visits there probably was not as many permits taken out as there should have been, the building is in bad maintenance and it looks like it need, it is not a building that you walk past and say that it looks great. it need work done to it. >> there is another permit that is issued for replacing the floor joists in kitchen and so i don't know you will leave through that. and so that would be a reason but that permit is not appealed. but it was issued earlier this year as a revision to this permit that is suspended. >> i think that this is the 6th time this site has been in front of us. >> yeah, i don't know what the issues were, but i saw that the permits were revoked. thank you.

>> >> corey tee for the planning department, the majority of the scope falls under the purview of dbi and some of the exterior repair work did require planning department review, that was reviewed over the counter, by the planning department staff on october 29th of 2012 and it was, approved on that same day. i have also looked at the updated plans submitted on november 7th, that would combine this new scope of work and that appears to all be interior structural work as well that would not need additional planning department review and i am available for any questions that you may have. >> is this a building rated in any sense? or is the area? >> it is not in a district that i am aware of, but i can double check that in a moment and it is a potential historic resource and i don't believe that it has been, recognized as a historic rye source.

>> okay. >> okay, is there any public comment on this item? >> seeing none, then we will take the rebuttal. miss fox you have three minutes. >> thank you. i think that we are kind of going in circles here, we are not the tenants and myself, we are not objecting to the work taking place, we think that needs to be done and what we are asking that in light of the fact that they need to get something a permit to do this other work. that there be some kind of coordination between the tenants and the land lords so that the work can can move smoothly. but if the other tenants that are not here and have no idea what is going on don't move there is no work getting

started. so what we are asking is to coordinate what needs to be done, soft story, and this retaining wall, but at the same time, allow the tenants to have the security to the rights to return. and that there be some information as to where they are going and how long it is truly going to take? and thirdly, what, do they have the other buildings, urban green? they do and are they going to be able to house the tenants meanwhile, while the work is done? also it is important to note that if there was such a grave concern about getting this work done, the applied back in october of 2012 and waited literally 6 months until april of 2013 to amend their efforts again to get the permit issued. and then, also, as pointed out by the tenants they themselves did a lot of the damage to the

building. and there was some i think that it is the side wall was removed which caused more of the movement in the building, and i think that john can adjust this better. >> yeah, i came in to do the expiration on the property and the kind of sent in a bunch of cowboys and just tore a lot of the sheer wall and the siding and where the wall was and there was a siding on it that was actually holding it in and since that was removed there is major movement in the wall and so the safety issue, they talk about you know, they have, they have left it, and i don't know, what i am trying to say. but the damage that they did, and work has contributed to the state of the building and the deteration of the moment. >> and we don't have anything further to add. >> i have a question. my understanding is that your issues are really more about

the tenantcies than they are about the work that is being done, in that the how is the work going to impact their current tenant and their future and their right to return? >> in essence, yes, but there is a concern about the scope of the work because it seems to be a changing target, they have now added in the plumbing and electrical, yesterday, for the first time. today, for the first time, there is this statement that the tenants all need to move so that they can conduct the electrical, so, what is exactly the scope of the work? >> but really it relate to how long the tenants feel they are going to be displaced? is that not the case. >> it all goes back to the tenants yes. >> thank you. >> thank you, commissioners. >> i think that there are a few discreet issues that need to be cleared up. firstly, i think that it is important to note that this is

a new owner of the building and what happened in the last 11 years, is a different issue. this owner has come in and is trying to fix a very dangerous situation. i can address the issue, of notices posting, and i have photos and i can share and talk about all of that. but, i think that it has been noted that this is really an issue of the tenantcies and the rent board. and if more time is needed than the 2 and a half months than we forecast if they need more time in the three months, that is under the rent board jurisdiction and they will have to ask the rent board for permission to do that so there is a whole other process that will have a hearing that is just not an issue at this point. and we really do think that it is going to be two and a half months of relocation, and then, a 6-month, total time period for this project. and the issue of the poor communication with the system has been raised and i am new to this and what i offered to miss

fox was to have a meeting with all of the tenants that i would facilitate with the engineering team and the consultants and so that they can complain exactly what is happening and what the issues are and answer the questions and i am happy to do that and improve the communication going forward. >> and the, there is some confusion, i think, among the tenants perhaps, about the scope of this work. and the permit before you, is a define scope of work, for structural repairs. and the tenants asked for it to be combined with the soft story retrofit and so we filed those plans with the board. and so, you can choose, if you would like to up hold the permit that is before you,, if you like to up hold what before you and you also have that, that is vetted by dbi and by planning, but the thing that should not be done is to revoke this permit because that is

going to create a one year moratorium and they can't apply for a permit and these dangerous conditions can't be fixed. and there will be a need for plumbing and electrical permits but that is something separate and i am sure that the tenants are going to have their tount to appeal those too. but in terms of the structural work, this is urgent, and i have 30 more seconds that i would like to turn it over to the electrician who saw this yesterday and has sparked some concerns. >> my name is trevor, and i went by the job yesterday and found that the service was totally inadequate. and the wires that needs to be changed out. and not to the code and i believe that if we get the electrical inspector out there to pull the permit and get the electrical inspector out there, he will probably shut it down any way. and make us change the service. >> thank you. >> i have a question for the

attorney. >> sure. >> question for the attorney. >> yes, sure. >> and as you mentioned this is new ownership? >> yes, sir. >> so, as mentioned by the commissioner fung, this property has been before us many several, several many times. and so, you are telling me and because you are also telling me that the condition of the building is some what of a surprise to the new ownership. >> no. but the extent of the danger. >> okay. >> yesterday, we discovered a serious gas leak. >> so, for the record is there any commonalities in the previous ownership and the current ownership? as far as partner and ownership. >> that i don't know. i am happy to look into it for you. the reason that i am asking is that because what we are saying is that there are all of these issues to the property if there is a common ownership at which

point it should have been aware of it and since we have new ownership a different story. >> so the general council of the ownership. >> the general council, there is no commonality with the group. and this was purchased in a portfolio of buildings and my understanding that we have been trying to get the permit for a long time. and pretty soon after ownership we have applied for that. >> when you purchased this group of properties were there prior inspections done prior to purchasing them? >> yes. >> and so, the inspections indicate that the amount of... >> yes. and that is why this permit is that is why we are choosing to try to get the permit to repair it. it is taking a long time. >> okay. >> for the record the tenants

have fought and fought and fought and we have been here as you mentioned a number of times. >> okay. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> can we get the general council's name for the record? >> michael capelus. >> before you sit down, perhaps i did not quite hear what you were saying, should this run over the some type of a threshold time wise? with the rent board, what are the consequences? >> is it the three month threshold? >> we, expect it will be two and a half months, but if is ends up running more than 3 months, we have to go to the rent board with a petition, and the tenants will have a hearing that they can argue that they should not have to relocate for more than 3 months and a rent board administrative judge will decide that. >> okay. >> and i guarantee that you are over three months. >> well, we are looking for

every way possible including multiple teams, different phasing. >> understood. >> but you also have sequencing because it has to come in before you can do any electrical and plumbing. >> if you like i have a construction. >> it is okay, i understand what is necessary for this. >> okay, thank you. >> thank you. >> anything further from the department? >> mr. duffy? >> it is going to be similar to the umb program that they had for the buildings and i know that there is a lot of meetings and i know that dbi staff definitely went to the many buildings and met with the tenants with the building owners and the contractors to coordinate the work and this is appears to be similar to that and they are going to pop the

soft story and they are looking on the website for that, and i don't have it with me tonight and if there is a process for having the meetings with the tenants and giving them a time line and i think that this one is not far off. in this case. okay? >> excellent. >> great. >> one of the things that mr. duffy is that i looked at the drawings but i did not look at it real extensively. but it appears that most of it is required work verses work that may be done to torment some type of an issue. >> i agree with you. i think that it is required work in this case but they want to put in the soft story stuff work on to it. >> it does make sense to combine the two. >> i agree, yes. >> okay. >> commissioners the matter is submitted. >> i will start. and it seems to me that there is no dispute that the work needs to be done and i think

that the statements by inspector duffy at the end sort of addressed the issues and as well as the proposal, by the permit holders attorney to extend sort of out to the tenants to have meetings to discuss what in fact the impacts will be. and coordinate that. and i, to whatever extent the work does exceed the three months, threshold, i think that there are remedies in a different form available to the appellant. and my leaning really is to up hold the permit >> i concur. >> i would too, although i would say that you know, i think that hopefully, they actually have some time to be able to create a smoother transition for the tenants to

leave. and the reason is that if they want any chance of doing this under three months, then the logistical will be important otherwise they will never make it. >> comments? >> we are going to move to up hold the permit, and deny the appeal on the grounds that the permit is code compliant. >> and yes, the question that i am asking is whether or not you intend it amend the permit to incorporate the additional soft story work or do you want them to apply for a separate permit? >> i think that incorporate. >> okay. >> we heard, testimony and interest in having it done all in one permit. zme. so that motion will be then to grant the appeal, and amend the permit. >> okay. >> and issue the permit on the condition that it be amended to

incorporate these plans that were submitted and i believe that i just want to confirm with mr. patterson that this is for the plans dated 11-4, 13. and; is that correct?? >> yeah. >> and dated 11, 4, our stamp is 11, 7, but the architect or the engineer's date is 11, 4. >> that is correct. >> and so is that... >> yes. >> thank you. >> so we have a motion from the president, to up hold this permit, with the adoption of these revised plans, dated november 14, 2013, and it was on the basis that it is code compliant. >> correct. >>

>> on that motion to up hold with revised plans. >> commissioner fung? >> aye. >> commissioner hurtado? >> aye. >> vice president lazarus? >> aye. >> commissioner honda. >> aye. >> thank you. >> the vote is 5-0 and the permit is up hold with the revised plans, thank you. >> could we have a five-minute break, right here. >>