• Magazine
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About Us
    1. Construction Lifting & Concrete Placement

    Crane Warning Proves Prescient in St. Pete

    Oct. 10, 2024
    Officials said cranes in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, were at risk in Hurricane Milton.
    Dirk Shadd for Tampa Bay Times
    An exterior view of The Residences at 400 Central on Sept. 16 in downtown St. Petersburg. The tower crane working on the high-rise collapsed during Hurricane Milton.
    An exterior view of The Residences at 400 Central on Sept. 16 in downtown St. Petersburg. The tower crane working on the high-rise collapsed during Hurricane Milton.

    By: Colleen Wright
    Source: Tampa Bay Times (TNS)

    ST. PETERSBURG — Mayor Ken Welch recommended on Tuesday that residents around three construction sites in downtown St. Petersburg and one in the Carillon area should relocate or take other precautions because of safety concerns with high-rise cranes as Hurricane Milton approaches.

    He said city officials are concerned the cranes could tip or tumble in high winds, landing on nearby buildings. The city published four maps depicting “public safety advisory impacts,” said city spokesperson Samantha Bequer, that take in multiple blocks around some of the construction sites based on the height of the cranes.

    Milton Blows Crane into Tampa Bay Building

    A tower crane succumbed to the winds of Hurricane Milton, collapsing in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. The crane came to rest on an office building housing the Tampa Bay Times.

    The paper reported that the crane was working on a 46-story project across the street from the damaged building. A section of the crane’s boom fell, but the rest of the crane remained intact. No one was injured. 

    Residents near those locations are advised to relocate or move to an inner area without windows as the storm is passing, such as a stairwell or a room in the interior of the building. Welch said the city is working to notify occupants in neighboring buildings.

    “We want to make sure you have all the information you need to make smart decisions as Milton approaches our state,” Welch said.

    The city said in a Tuesday afternoon news release that roads, sidewalks, and parking zones within the affected areas will be restricted due to the potential public safety hazard as a precaution.

    The construction sites include The Residences at 400 Central Avenue downtown, which when it opens will be the tallest residential building on Florida’s Gulf Coast. In the same five-block impact zone is the nearby Art House project, a 42-story luxury condo tower.

    Cody H. Laidlaw, a spokesperson for Belpointe Oz, the developer of Viv Apartments at the 1000 First Ave. N., said contractor JE Dunn is required under contract to insure its cranes. He said the crane there has been switched off, secured and is in “full weathervane” mode, allowing it to move with the wind instead of resisting and toppling.

    “They have successfully managed through multiple hurricanes, ensuring the safety of our sites and equipment each time,” Laidlaw said in an email. “They have taken every step possible to secure the site and ensure safety.”

    Laine Edathikunnel, a spokesperson for JE Dunn Construction, said the firm has taken precautions to secure and prepare all jobsites that are expected to be impacted by the storm.

    “Our crane foundations have been designed to meet the parameters associated with high wind zone areas,” she said.

    A St. Petersburg spokesperson did not provide specifics on what development is under construction at 101 Main St. N., the other location of concern.

    The city’s building official, Don Tyre, said some of the cranes are rated for up to 145 mph winds, but the three cranes at 400 Central Avenue are rated to withstand up to 110 mph winds. He said cranes are safe in weather vane mode in winds of up to 100 mph.

    Welch started the city’s news conference by highlighting that forecasters are expecting winds over 100 mph, though Milton showed signs of tracking farther south Tuesday evening, potentially steering the most damaging wings away from the Tampa Bay region.

    “We’re looking at the cranes being a potential hazard if we basically get a direct eye impact,” Tyre said.

    Tyre said the fire marshal’s office is going around to residential buildings and posting notices in commercial buildings where owners and employees may be sheltering. He said it takes a week to disassemble a crane with a specialized crew.

    “It just wasn’t practical to have any kind of work done to lower the cranes,” Tyre said.

    Times staff writer Rebecca Liebson contributed to this report.

    ©2024 Tampa Bay Times.
    Visit tampabay.com.
    Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.