Denver Development Allegedly at Risk of Collapse

Developers of Denver’s tallest condominium project in more than a decade are pushing back against safety concerns after allegations surfaced that a subcontractor removed key concrete supports, raising fears of a possible collapse.

“Recently, a subcontractor engaged on the Upton Residences site was found not to be meeting our high construction standards,” Steve Featherston, vice president of construction and development at Amacon, the project’s Canadian general contractor, said in a statement to Newsweek. “We want to reassure the community that the Upton Residences remains a safe, secure, and successful development.”

Featherston emphasized that work on the two-tower complex is continuing under “strong oversight,” calling the project “a landmark addition to downtown Denver.”

The statement comes after a Denver District Court order last week barred subcontractor GCon from the site, according to BusinessDen.

The Upton Residences will deliver 461 units across 38- and 32-story towers, marking the city’s largest condo project since 2009. Units are already selling in advance of a planned 2026 completion. A collapse in such a densely populated area could result in a mass casualty event.

Amacon hired GCon in 2022 on a $16 million contract. The subcontractor halted work in May and left the site on August 6, allegedly taking vital support equipment, including bracing and reshoring systems used to stabilize slabs and upper floors.

At an August 19 hearing, Denver District Judge Bruce Jones underscored the seriousness of the claims: “The one time that I think a judge is taught to consider a temporary restraining order is when somebody is saying that a building’s going to fall down,” he said, according to BusinessDen.

Amacon told the court the removals caused cracking beneath an upper floor roughly 400 feet above the downtown core. “This is an emergency,” attorney Kirsten Kube argued. “This is a building that needs to be secure.”

GCon’s attorney, Ryan Williams, denied recklessness, saying any removals were done “in coordination with Amacon’s local representatives.” He added that there are no current plans to recover additional materials.

Read full story on MSN.com