CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — A former Chicago building commissioner will speak at a special meeting Tuesday of building inspectors, owners and managers in South Florida, nearly two months after a condominium building collapsed there killing 98 people.
Judy Frydland served as Chicago's building commissioner from 2015 until last year, and was invited to share her expertise at the meeting called in the wake of the building collapse in Surfside, Florida.
For example, she'll discuss her efforts while part of the city's law department to create a separate court call to handle issues with high-rise buildings in Chicago.
The push to create a separate court call happened after chunks of limestone façade broke off of a building at 1 N. LaSalle Street in 2001 and fell 36 floors. No one was hurt but Frydland saw an issue with how such cases were handled in court.
Frydland now helps municipalities and builders through public speaking as well as a legal service.
She said it's important for government building regulators and inspectors to be helpful but not oppressive, which helps them solve problems rather than create obstacles to safety.
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