Businesses closed, sealed off at Sydney’s troubled Mascot Towers amid fresh cracking concerns

Shops at the base of the Sydney’s Mascot Towers building have been sealed off amid fresh cracking concerns.

The area was sealed off and six businesses told to close on Thursday night. Picture: Supplied

Businesses at the base of Sydney’s troubled Mascot Towers apartment block have been forced to close after new cracks appeared on Thursday night.

The decision was made at 10pm force the closure of six businesses and set up a public safety exclusion zone on the Bourke St side of the project after on-site engineers found cracks in the cavity brick facade of the building.

A Mascot Towers spokesman clarified the cosmetic cracks about 10 metres above ground level do not affect the structural integrity of the tower and have a low chance of dislodging or falling.

The decision to close six businesses the base of the troubled tower block was made about 10pm Thursday. Picture: Supplied

“No bricks have fallen, there have been no incidents and the risk of falling bricks is deemed small by our professional engineers, but we have a duty of care to the public and we have acted to ensure public safety,” a Mascot Towers spokesperson said.

“This work will not detract from or delay the work being undertaken on site to restore the structural integrity of Mascot Towers and to get people back into their homes.”

The Owners Corporation notified SafeWork NSW, The NSW Building Commissioner, Fire & Rescue NSW (FRNSW) and Bayside Council last night, with the area taped off around 10pm on Thursday.

It is unclear at this stage whether the new cracks are related to structural repairs on the towers or further subsidence.

Last June, more than 100 residents were forced to evacuate the decade-old tower after substantial cracks were discovered in the building's support structure. Further cracks were discovered in October which required urgent s work to avoid “structural failure.
Mascot Towers still stands vacant, with the repair bill estimated to be at least $10 million.

The business will remain closed over the weekend, with no indication given to when the exclusion zone will be lifted. A remediation plan will be developed next week before repair work can commence.

“Aside from public safety, which is our main priority, we will try and do everything possible to re-open the commercial and retail premises and we feel for the owners and their staff, but we have no choice in establishing the public safety exclusion zone,” the Mascot Towers spokesperson said.