It is possible that South Florida, where climate change is a particularly acute problem, is nearing a point at which even the best-constructed buildings are under threat. In many ways, Champlain Towers appears to have been much like any number of buildings in the state, which is what makes the determination of what warnings there were of the catastrophe—and what larger warning they may represent—feel so urgent. Decades into a statewide population boom, standards are uneven and poorly enforced, with gaps for older construction. It is also possible that South Florida, where climate change is an especially serious challenge, is nearing a point at which even the best-constructed buildings are under threat. The cost of the needed repairs is high.
By Amy Davidson Sorkin. New Yorker. July 4, 2021.
