rivermist retaining wall collapse
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By HomeownersOfTexas.org
Welcome to The Hills of Rivermist - San Antonio, Texas This beautiful community can be your home.
B E F O R E
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
On January 24, 2010, more than 90 San Antonio homeowners in The Hills of RiverMist subdivision were displaced when a 40-foot tall retaining wall collapsed. For many, their lives have been ruined. The culprit is both the builder and developer - Centex Homes.
A F T E R
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
Tons of fill dirt on over 8’ of expansive clay soil got saturated with heavy rain and pushed the wall outward from the bottom.
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
Was it an Act of God, a landslide, slope failure or earthquake? What about shoddy construction? Where’s the rebar?
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
Was it an Act of God, a landslide, slope failure or earthquake? What about shoddy construction? Where’s the rebar?
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
Was it an Act of God, a landslide, slope failure or earthquake? What about shoddy construction? Where’s the rebar?
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
OTHER CRACKS ALONG THE WALLBad fill dirt on expansive soil with shoddy wall design & construction, no reinforcement, and no City permitting or inspection.
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
The wall had none of these design elements
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
Notice the roof as the soil moves, the foundation cracks, and the house torques.
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
Notice the roof as the soil moves, the foundation cracks, and the house torques.
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
Over 90 residents were evacuated. 27 had their Certificate of Occupancy suspended and received Buy-Back offers. Others worry about foundations and a stigma that affects home values.
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST Aerial Photos
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST Aerial Photos
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST Aerial Photos
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST Aerial Photos
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST Aerial Photos
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST Aerial Photos
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST Aerial Photos
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST Aerial Photos
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST Aerial Photos
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST Aerial Photos
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST Aerial Photos
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
The rains came as workers spread tarps & security guards limited access to the site.
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST RETAINING WALL COLLAPSE
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST BUYBACKSResidents protest and want MORE homes bought back.
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST BUYBACKSResidents protest and want MORE homes bought back.
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST BUYBACKSSome dressed as Lemons to protest shoddy construction.
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST BUYBACKSSome protested at the Pulte Group shareholder’s meeting in Michigan.
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST BUYBACKSSome protested at the Pulte Group shareholder’s meeting in Michigan.
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
RIVERMIST BUYBACKSSome protested at the Pulte Group shareholder’s meeting in Michigan.
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
CRIME SCENE – Where was Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott? He got over $1 million in campaign contributions from Texas builders. Is that why he didn’t investigate?
NO PERMITS – TX Rep. David Leibowitz voiced concern about fill dirt & construction quality in 2007 before the first wall collapsed. Still, Centex got no permit for the new wall.
DESTRUCTION OF EVIDENCE - Immediately after the latest collapse, Centex brought in heavy equipment to haul off fill dirt and used City police and private security to limit access to and independent inspection of the site.
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
LOCATED IN NW SAN ANTONIO
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
Clear-cut Grading & Terracing
Rather than keep the trees and terrain, Centex clear-cut and graded the land to create premium-priced lots with views.
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
Clear-cut Grading & Terracing
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
Clear-cut Grading & Terracing
Builders often hold off selling premium lots to drive up demand & price.
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
Clear-cut Grading & Terracing
From the Contour Lines, we can see how much fill dirt was added.
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
A r e a o f I n te r e s t
Highly Expansive Soil – “Very Limited” for Building
USDA Web Soil Survey Analysis
The City and builder knew, or should have known that the soil conditions were poorly suited for home construction.
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
USDA Web Soil Survey Analysis
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
USDA Web Soil Survey Analysis
Expansive Clay Soilwith High Shrink-Swell
“Very Limited” for Dwellings on Concrete Slab Foundation
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
WATER BALLONTHEORY
This is why the proposed Centex design won’t work.
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
APPLYING THE WATER BALLOON THEORY
By HomeownersOfTexas.org
Analysis of UK landslide expert
This photo shows evidence that tons of fill can simply squish underneath a wall.
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