 However , it was ultimately determined that poor construction was to blame . In 1998 , a permit was issued to owner LG Properties to install furnaces , air conditioners and water heaters in the building , but not to build the balcony . The balcony jutted out eleven feet from the building , one foot further than permitted by city codes , and had an area of 231 square feet ( 21 @.@ 5 m2 ) , 81 square feet ( 7 @.@ 5 m2 ) larger than permitted . The balcony also had inadequate supports , was floored with undersized lengths of wood , and was attached to the walls with screws that were too short . However , the City of Chicago 's <unk> Services Department visited this site over 5 times and never noticed or cited the code violations noted above . 
