New research documents how the weight of buildings causes the ground to sink underneath developments in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Kurtis Alexander reports: "The entire Bay Area is plunging downward under the weight of its own sprawl. And that’s a concern as sea levels rise and cities try to figure out how they’ll stay above water in the coming decades."
New research by Tom Parsons, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey, has shed light on the subsidence caused by development in the San Francisco Bay Area. Parsons published findings in a recent issue of the journal AGU Advances.
The most famous example of subsidence in San Francisco is Millennium Tower. The tony but beleaguered residential tower has sunk 16 inches in the decade since its construction and is tilting to the side. Although this one example is infamous, the issue hasn't been studied extensively in the aggregate, according to Alexander.
The study is likely to have implications in other cities, according to Alexander, especially when considering the collision course of sinking coastal cities with rising coastlines. "Other areas seeing significant development are also likely to have sinking buildings while similarly having to contend with sea level rise, the paper says." The Bay Area is further complicated by seismic activity, which can raise ground levels, pushing up against the weight of buildings and mitigating some of the subsidence effect.
FULL STORY: Buildings like S.F.'s Millennium Tower are causing the Bay Area to sink under their weight

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

North Texas Transit Leaders Tout Benefits of TOD for Growing Region
At a summit focused on transit-oriented development, policymakers discussed how North Texas’ expanded light rail system can serve as a tool for economic growth.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Santa Barbara Could Build Housing on County Land
County supervisors moved forward a proposal to build workforce housing on two county-owned parcels.

San Mateo Formally Opposes Freeway Project
The city council will send a letter to Caltrans urging the agency to reconsider a plan to expand the 101 through the city of San Mateo.

A Bronx Community Fights to Have its Voice Heard
After organizing and giving input for decades, the community around the Kingsbridge Armory might actually see it redeveloped — and they want to continue to have a say in how it goes.
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