The Hamptons at MetroWest, a Case Study of Structural Repairs to Rot-Damaged Wood Condominium Buildings

The Hamptons at MetroWest, a wood-framed condominium complex located in Orlando, Florida, suffered extensive, long-term, large-scale, structural rot damage. Defective construction and installation of windows, weather protection systems (such as roof flashing), and the exterior wall stucco contributed long-term water intrusion flows into the building envelope and into wood-framed wall and roof cavities, causing extensive rot damage to the buildings' structural wood framing. This paper discusses the forensic investigation undertaken, the rot damage discovered, the temporary emergency shoring and patch repairs needed, and the large-scale repairs undertaken to save the project This topic would be of relevance in areas of the country where wood construction is used, and particularly those areas that receive a substantial amount of weather precipitation. The target audience would be primarily structural engineers who may come across similarly damaged existing buildings. It plays well upon a theme that existing buildings can be saved, rather than torn down and built anew. The investigative portion of the presentation shows that even when confronted with extensive damage, a thorough forensic investigation can identify the extent of damage and mitigate the potential for future rot. Attendees would be able to see the potential of forensic investigations of existing buildings in saving existing buildings. Whereas most of an engineer's training is focused on the design of new structures, this presentation provides an alternative path where existing structures are evaluated, repaired and saved, rather than torn down in a waste of natural and economic resources.