The Centergy parking deck in midtown was first permitted by the City of Atlanta in December 2001 and a revision permit was issued in August 2002 for a cosmetic change to the garage entrance.
The Certificate of Occupancy (CO) was issued at the completion of the project in 2004. The City does not inspect a project once the CO is issued unless there is a complaint. In this case there is no record of a complaint.
Construction plans sealed by a Georgia Licensed Engineer are submitted to the City for permits. The registered engineer of record actually certifies the construction drawings meet applicable codes. The Engineer of Record also performs quality control inspections during the construction stage to insure compliance with the plans and codes. The City of Atlanta has no legal obligation beyond the role of issuing the permit and performing the initial construction inspections and is not legally obligated to investigate the collapse of the deck.
The Atlanta Fire Rescue department will conclude their rescue role and the building owner can then take possession of the deck. Once the building is structurally stabilized, the City will then issue a Temporary Certificate of Occupancy for the owner to release the cars currently in the parking deck, continue any demolition work and to prepare for rebuilding. In order to rebuild or repair the deck, the City would require a new set of plans and a new permit.
###