Davenport Hotel Partial Collapse
Presented by:Â William D. Bast, PE, SE, SECB, SOCOTEC Engineering, Inc Principal – MidWest Regional Director.
Program:
The presentation will focus on the investigation of the events and details of the partial collapse of the 6-story former Davenport Hotel that occurred on May 28, 2023.
The City of Davenport hired White Birch Group, LLC and SOCOTEC Engineering, Inc. to complete a cause and origin report that will be shared with the public ‘when deemed appropriate’. A report could start to answer questions about the partial collapse, including why residents remained in the 116-year old brick, steel and concrete building despite the many warnings over many months about its integrity.
The presentation will cover the history of the building, engineering and inspection activities occurring in recent years and months prior to the collapse, details of the 1920’s building construction, the structural analysis that was performed during the investigation, and conclusions and recommendations.
Presenter:
Mr. Bast is a Principal and Regional Director for the Midwest region at SOCOTEC Engineering, Inc. with over 40 years of structural engineering experience. His areas of expertise include structural engineering of buildings and other structures, forensic engineering, building envelope evaluation and repair, peer reviews, and expert witness testimony. Prior to joining SEI, Bill was a Principal in the Chicago office of Thornton Tomasetti for almost 22 years. His other work experience includes Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, his own firm William D. Bast & Associates, Rubinos & Mesia Engineers, Schal Bovis (now Lendlease), and Central Building & Preservation.
He is a member of the Chicago Committee on High Rise Buildings (CCHRB), a Past President of the National Council of Structural Engineer Associations (NCSEA), a Past President of the Structural Engineers Association of Illinois (SEAOI), a former member of the AISC Committee on Specifications, a Life Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), and is a Certified Peer Reviewer for the City of Chicago. He served as an Adjunct Professor at the School of Architecture at Taliesin from 2017 through 2019, and currently serves on the Board of Governors of the School founded by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1932.
This meeting will take place at:
Waterview
350 W Wolff Point Plaza
15th Floor,
Chicago, IL 60654
The committee meeting will start at the usual time 5:00 pm in the LaSalle Room with drinks and appetizers. At 6:00 pm we will adjourn for our business meeting and technical presentation.
Do you have a program you would like to share with the committee, please feel free to reach out to our program coordinator at jose.estrada@clarkdietrich.com
