Intempo 47-Story Skyscraper Builders Forgot To Include Working Elevator, Oopsy

The Intempo 47-story skyscraper builders forgot to design working elevators above the lower floors. It’s a blunder of astounding proportions for the troubled luxury project with a lovely beach view in Benidorm, Spain.

The problem has existed for some time. However, the scandal exploded into public view late last month in Spanish news source El País when it was revealed that the upper flights of the Intempo building lacked adequate elevator access above 20 stories.

And now the awful architectural blooper is earning international fame after being described in English language media.

Jesus Diaz for Kinja described Benidorm as “a disgusting vacation spot in the Spanish east coast.” Essentially it’s an overbuilt crowded beach overrun by tourists.

The 47-story Intempo skyscraper itself has become a symbol of Spain’s economic crisis. Planned in a hurry during the nation’s real estate bubble, the project was stranded when its original lending bank went broke.

How did elevator access get overlooked? According to El País, there were multiple elevator problems — including a serious accident.

But the short version is that the original project was intended to be 20 stories. Then the builders decided to make Intempo 47 stories tall but forgot to properly rescale their plans. So the elevators are too small and the motors not powerful enough.

The architects in question have since resigned.

But you have wonder if there’s more than just jaw-dropping incompetence going on in Benidorm, Spain. It seems as if some worker along the way might have mentioned to the boss that something wasn’t quite right with the 47-story skyscraper.

But apparently morale on the Benidorm skyscraper project has been terrible. At one point, workers were being asked to go up 23 flights of stairs because a forklift hadn’t been installed for them.

So where does the project go from here? Well, according to their Twitter feed, Intempo is offering reduced prices on the luxury units.

But they’re still not cheap.

Discover our new discounted prices at the luxurious INTEMPO TOWERS, starting 253.000 €. Call us! +34 669 474 678 http://t.co/BhQejqx0p0

— INTEMPO (@INTEMPOBenidorm) July 29, 2013

Clearly they have an expensive repair ahead of them to get the Intempo 47-story skyscraper equipped with a working elevator by the estimated December 2013 opening date.

[Intempo photos via InTempoCostaBlanca via Instagram]