×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Demolition of Harmon Tower in Las Vegas begins
2

Demolition of Harmon Tower in Las Vegas begins

RE: Demolition of Harmon Tower in Las Vegas begins

Incredible story. Initially, Tutor Perini contended that the building was fundamentally safe and could be repaired to meet all building code standards for about $21,000,000, a drop in the bucket compared to the investment.

In April 2013, however, structural experts hired by Tutor Perini told the Clark County Building Department the destructive testing on the Harmon, including concrete removal, made the building unrepairable and unsafe to the public. Wow!

Tutor Perini decided not to stand in the way of the demolition and Clark County District Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez signed off on the demolition plan May 5.

Amazing sequence.

BA

RE: Demolition of Harmon Tower in Las Vegas begins

While I assume that none of us was involved in the project, it is becoming more and more difficult to be proud of our engineering profession when things can get to this stage before things are discovered or action is taken. On the other hand, it primarily shows that we, as the engineers on a project, suck hind tit, until things go wrong. The bean counters and money men have all the control. Get it designed quickly and cheaply, we can’t afford good design, and the gold plated faucets too; and we gotta start building today, we’ll get you the soil borings next month. Next comes... get er built quickly, we gotta start renting tomorrow. Then comes let’s tear it down and sue everyone who was ever near the site. I don’t know about you two guys, but I don’t think engineering on these kinds of projects, and many others, with their construction management systems is much fun any longer. I’m perfectly happy that I don’t do that kind of engineering.

RE: Demolition of Harmon Tower in Las Vegas begins

Ditto. My Our reputation is not worth it.

Mike McCann, PE, SE


RE: Demolition of Harmon Tower in Las Vegas begins

I recently changed firms because I desired working on larger projects that were just never on the horizon at the old firm. Granted the new firm will never do anything quite the size of this type of project, however news like this makes me think that getting my hands on jobs this size may not be as safe (liability wise) as I would like.

That being said I would NEVER send out designs for a job this size and not pop by the site for a look when I can (even if I don't charge for the inspection). There's too much liability involved not to at least take a peek at the construction to ensure it somewhat mimics the design intent.

RE: Demolition of Harmon Tower in Las Vegas begins

(OP)
This was all about inspection, or rather lack thereof. Whose responsibility it was to appoint competent and honest inspectors will probably be fought out in court.

RE: Demolition of Harmon Tower in Las Vegas begins

There’s usually a way to hang the structural engineer; guilty or otherwise. When the project is built per the drawings and there’s a problem he’s at fault. When the project is NOT built per the drawings he’s at fault for not catching it. Give it time…they'll come up with something…

It brings to mind a saying: if someone accuses your sister of being a whore, before you can explain to people that you don’t have a sister they’ve already decided that she is.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources