The long and controversial tale of the Harmon hotel and casino is over: MGM Resorts International has received permission to demolish the tower, Dezeen reports.
The court ruling comes in the midst of the debate between owner MGM and developer Tutor Perini, which has been waged over who is at fault for the building's failure.
Construction of the resort was halted after experts discovered faulty steel beams in the structure. They determined that the beams would not stand up to an earthquake.
Elizabeth Gonzalez, a Clark County District judge, has ordered lawyers on either side to collect outstanding evidence, in effect paving the way for demolition. The demolition will involve the complex being taken apart floor by floor, at a cost of $11.5 million.
Foster + Partners designed the Harmon, which broke ground in 2006. The structural issues were discovered two years into construction.
Some history on the project via Wikipedia:
In late 2008, work on the Harmon Hotel/Condo Tower was stopped after inspectors discovered construction defects: county inspectors discovered improper installation by Pacific Coast Steel, of critical steel reinforcements (rebar) after 15 stories of the building had already been erected.
The error caused a major change in the building's design; instead of being 49 stories, it was reduced to 28 stories with the condominium element, The Harmon Residences removed entirely. At the time, 88 of the 207 condominiums were reserved by buyers who had put 20 percent down. Those buyers were offered refunds or the option to buy in other buildings.
Related Stories
Architects | Mar 26, 2018
Designing for homeless facilities: Critical spaces to consider
The City of San Diego is home to the fourth largest homeless population in the U.S.
Education Facilities | Mar 23, 2018
An introvert's oasis: How to create learning environments for all student types
In order to understand why a school day can be so grueling for an introverted student, it’s important to know what it means to be introverted, writes NAC Architecture’s Emily Spiller.
Architects | Mar 22, 2018
The benefits and nuances of integrated design
Achieving integrated design usually means operating under a strong relationship.
Architects | Mar 14, 2018
Becoming nature: The building design evolution meets the living building revolution
With the environmental movement, sustainability became a marker of innovation in design for the built environment.
Office Buildings | Mar 12, 2018
Sound advice on workplace design
Thoughtful design, paired with a change management program to educate staff, can both enhance connectivity and minimize distractions.
Architects | Mar 9, 2018
Designing healthier buildings: Fitwel certification system
The Fitwel certification system is relatively simple and involves registering a building on a custom scorecard.
Architects | Mar 7, 2018
Balkrishna Doshi named 2018 Pritzker Laureate
Over the course of 70 years, Doshi was instrumental in shaping the discourse of architecture throughout India, from low-cost housing for thousands to landmark projects like the Indian Institute of Management.
Architects | Mar 7, 2018
New National Building Museum exhibit explores the architecture of the Manhattan Project
The exhibit will run through March 3, 2019.
Architects | Feb 27, 2018
But first, let me take a selfie: Designing sharable moments
The concept of “selfie walls” has been around for years, but with their growing popularity they have begun to evolve and take on a life of their own.
Market Data | Feb 27, 2018
AIA small firm report: Half of employees have ownership stake in their firm
The American Institute of Architects has released its first-ever Small Firm Compensation Report.
