A crane looming over the unfinished renovation of an office building at Peachtree and 14th streets in Midtown has raised safety concerns from nearby residents. Neighbors say the crane has been out of operation for four years, while renovations on the former Campanile building, now called The Midtowne, remain unfinished.
Renovation and expansion of The Midtowne, owned by Dewberry Capital, began in 2019 before stalling during the COVID-19 pandemic. The building was gutted, but the bare-bones structure remains exposed to the elements.
Gary Freedman, who lives in an apartment complex across the street, said he's no longer concerned about property value, but about safety. "If anything were to ever happen to that crane, my building would be taken out," he said. Freedman previously lived on 57th Street in New York when a crane collapsed near his home in 2012. He says he has seen The Midtowne's crane arm spinning and its tower swaying during storms.
On April 7, Freedman wrote to Mayor Andre Dickens' office and city officials asking for clarity on the structure's current condition. Residents and businesses have complained the site is an eyesore and has been dragging down property values for years. The city has not yet responded publicly about a timeline for the renovation or the crane's safety inspection.
