A Surfside Beach condo building has been deemed unsafe by officials due to structural deficiencies. The oceanfront building has been vacated and closed.
Surfside Beach Condo Issues
The Surfside Beach condo in question is the Sandfiddler at 813 S. Ocean Boulevard. It is a three-story condominium building with a first-floor parking area. The oceanfront building is about two miles north of the Garden City Pier.
Fire Marshal Keith Williams declared on July 1 that it was shuttered after his office, an engineer, and the town’s building inspector determined there were structural deficiencies and an insufficient means of egress. According to the release, the building is a fire hazard and dangerous for human life and public welfare.
According to the town records, the fire marshal noticed issues during a routine inspection. It centered on structural problems with the balconies, railings, and walkway posts. On April 16, a building inspector surveyed the area and determined they needed an engineer to assess the building. Three experts have marked the building as “unsafe.” Now, it has been barred off and stands vacant.
Multiple Properties Closed
Many other Grand Station vacation rental properties were required to close recently because of structural problems — and Sandfiddler has joined the lot. On March 28, the Kingfisher Inn was closed after concerns about the building foundation’s progressing movement were raised. Meanwhile, the Renaissance Tower near Myrtle Beach was vacated and closed two years prior because of structural issues. However, it reopened to renters in February 2023.
According to an investigation by The Post and Courier in 2023, many old coastal high-rise buildings were vulnerable to the sea and oceanfront climate’s corrosive effects. They were prone to structural decay. Over 500 structures close to the coast were prone to flooding caused by a hurricane. Buildings throughout the East Coast may also be slowly eroding.
