‘Tower of Ōtara’ sparks safety concerns, neighbour scared of going into own backyard

A large treehouse structure in an Ōtara backyard has sparked curiosity but also safety fears. Photo / Jason Dorday

A three-storey wooden structure that locals call “The Tower of Ōtara” may be on the brink of collapse, and some say it is a matter of time before someone gets seriously injured or killed.

The building was assembled using discarded materials such as zinc sheets, plywood pieces and plastic sheets and held together mainly by glue in the backyard of a property in South Auckland managed by Kāinga Ora.

Levi Falé said he built the three-storey tower because he believed a great flood was coming. Photo / Lincoln Tan

When wild weather struck last Wednesday, a resident said zinc sheets and a bicycle placed at the top of the structure “came flying down” with a piece landing near a bus stop.

“Imagine the injuries a bicycle falling from three floors up could do to someone and people could have easily died or be seriously injured if hit by the zinc pieces,” said May Nguyen, who saw the pieces coming off when she was at a laundromat across the street from the property.

Mayfield Superette operator Kaushal Valand, whose business is next to the laundromat, said the structure has become “like a tourist attraction”.

The structure has attracted curiosity from locals and visitors who often take photos. Photo / Jason Dorday

“We see people stopping to take photos, and in a way, it’s also good for business as some would come in to buy drinks and stuff,” Valand said.

An immediate neighbour, who did not want to be named, says she was scared of going into her own backyard.

“The whole time, you hear rattling and flapping sounds from the structure, and it just feels like it could topple at any time,” she said.

A neighbour who did not want to be named said she was worried about going into her own backyard fearing the tower could topple at any time. Photo / Lincoln Tan

“You can say I was lucky that the wind gusts took the pieces and bicycle the other direction and not towards me last week.”

Another neighbour, who also did not want to be named, said the structure was a “waiting time bomb”.

“It’s amusing to outsiders, they share on Facebook and come to take photos, but for us living here, it’s not fun at all,” he said.

“We call it the Tower of Ōtara around here, a leaning tower that is going to fall down and hurt someone. Mark my words.”

The bicycle and some zinc roof sheets were blown away when wild weather struck last Wednesday. Photo / Jason Dorday

The man who built the structure, Levi Falé, says he has lived on the property for about five years, and constructed the tower because he believed a great flood was coming.

“I keep my canoes on the second floor so when the floods come, I am able to row away,” said Falé, originally from Samoa.

He also had a washing machine and a microwave oven on that level, powered by an extension cord connected to the main house.

Mayfield Superette operators Dipak Patel and Kaushal Valand, who work on the other side of the road, say the structure attracts curiosity from locals and visitors who often take photos. Photo / Jason Dorday

Falé said it took him about four months to build the tower with materials he found on neighbouring construction sites and used a supermarket trolley to take them home.

He claimed to have building experience in constructing similar structures in his Samoan village before coming to New Zealand.

“I use a very strong glue to hold the materials together, so it won’t fall down even when the great floods come,” he said.

Falé said another reason he needed the structure was to provide shelter for his baby animals – like pigs and kittens – which are “so small people can’t see them”.

Auckland Council has issued a dangerous building notice on the structure. Photo / Jason Dorday

One neighbour believed Falé, who lived alone on that property, needed help with his mental health.

Adrian Wilson, Auckland Council compliance manager, told the Herald the council had issued a dangerous building notice on this structure.

He said the building did not comply with the Building Act and code.

“The dangerous building notice requires the removal of the structure and restricts entry to the building to all individuals except demolition personnel,” Wilson said.

Levi Falé insists there are kittens and pigs in the structure which are too small for the human eye to see. Photo / Jason Dorday

“The structure is on a property managed by Kāinga Ora and the council is collaborating closely with them to resolve the issue promptly and safely.”

Wilson said the council’s compliance unit responds to complaints from the public about unsafe buildings or unconsented building work.

“We would urge the public to report concerns about such buildings as early as possible to prevent situations from escalating to this extent.”

Kāinga Ora operations manager Counties-Manukau Sonja Clearkin confirmed the structure was erected without consent.

“We share the neighbours’ concerns about its safety,” Clearkin said.

“We have been using the tools available to us as a landlord under the Residential Tenancies Act to have it taken down. We expect the structure will be removed soon.”

Kāinga Ora says it shares neighbours' safety concerns. Photo / Lincoln Tan