$100 million fix proposed for leaning, sinking San Francisco Millennium Tower

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- On Tuesday the Millennium Tower Association filed a permit application with the city and county of San Francisco to retrofit the leaning and sinking Millennium Tower.

The proposed fix could mean lane closures on Mission Street and Fremont Street-- that will ultimately be decided by the city. Construction could take a year and a half.

TIMELINE: Issues with San Francisco's tilting, sinking Millennium Tower

"I feel a great deal of pressure to get it right," said Ronald Hamburger, the Structural Engineer who came up with the proposed fix.

"We're calling it the perimeter pile upgrade," said Hamburger.

Fifty-two concrete piles along the North and West sides of the building that will transfer 20 percent of the building's weight from the existing foundation system to bedrock 250 feet below.

"We will actually jack the building against those piles much like you would do with a bumper jack on a car when you have a flat tire," said Hamburger.

Each pile is designed to resist 1 million 500 pounds of load. Despite the pressure literally and figuratively, Hamburger is confident in his design.

"Really nothing is keeping me up at night with this design," said Hamburger.

No word yet on who will pick up the $100-million bill.

"It's a matter of litigation and I don't know," said Hamburger.

Doug Elmets is the Spokesperson for the Millennium Tower Homeowners Association.

"We hope that the fix we announced today will help resolve the outstanding lawsuits related to the Millennium Tower," said Elmets.

RELATED: Previously undisclosed crack in Millennium Tower prompting safety concerns

Gregg Lynn, one of the top three ranking realtors in San Francisco with Sotheby's International Realty tells ABC7 News Millennium Tower units are selling at a discount of 20 to 33 percent, but also that many owners love the building and don't want to sell.

There will be an independent peer review of the proposed retrofit. The Department of Building Inspection will also do a rigorous review with its own engineers. Hamburger estimates it'll take three months to get a building permit and that work will begin in the Spring.

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