An apparent scaffolding collapse has Midtown neighbors on alert near a high-rise construction project that started more than six years ago but has recently been declared “abandoned” and “dangerous and unsafe” by city officials. 

The collapse involved scaffolding over a 14th Street sidewalk meant to keep pedestrians safe between Peachtree and Juniper streets, across the street from Colony Square. It caused traffic delays Sunday.  

The Dewberry Capital project in question stripped Midtown’s 1987, 21-story Campanile office high-rise to its concrete bones years ago and has gone mostly idle since. Dewberry officials still envision the site springing to life as “The Midtowne”—a mixed-use tower clad in marble and glass, with an added six floors of Class AA offices on top—but lack of progress has spurred increasing frustration from city officials and neighbors. 

A representative with the Dewberry project’s construction team told Fox 5 Atlanta they plan to file a report with the Atlanta Police Department in hopes of discovering exactly what caused the scaffolding structure to collapse.

Dewberry officials and a construction lead haven’t responded to an inquiry for more information, including any details on plans to remedy the situation along sidewalks. 

Collapsed sidewalk scaffolding on Sunday along 14th Street in Midtown.Submitted photo, courtesy of Ricky McGee/@McGeeRicky7

A Midtown neighbor near the site told Urbanize Atlanta early this morning the scaffolding in question appears to have been fixed. 

The situation spurred a blunt take Sunday by Atlanta City Council member Matt Westmoreland on social media, who called the former Campanile site unsafe and poorly managed. 

Moreland added that he's "urging use of the city’s blight tax against this neglected and clearly unsafe property.... [It's] long past time for the owner to build—or sell to someone who can."

Dewberry’s Midtown endeavor made headlines this past spring following neighbor safety complaints, District 2 Atlanta City Council member Kelsea Bond’s discovery that the project’s building permits had expired last year, and the Department of City Planning’s declaring the site “dangerous and unsafe,” with warning signs posted along sidewalks. Hazards at the “abandoned” site were related to a construction barrier that allowed for pedestrian access, according to the city’s May 19 posting.  

A Change.org petition put together by a concerned neighbor in May demanded that City of Atlanta and Fulton County officials take action to ensure the Dewberry site is safe, particularly in regards to a construction crane that’s stood onsite since 2022. It’s gathered 3,270 signatures as of this writing.  

Atlanta firefighters and news media (right) respond to the scaffolding collapse Sunday. Submitted photo, courtesy of Ricky McGee/@McGeeRicky7

Looking east, toward Piedmont Park, along 14th Street near Free Chapel Midtown on Sunday. Submitted photo, courtesy of Ricky McGee/@McGeeRicky7

Dewberry officials have countered that the site is safe and constantly monitored by a security team and that “Unsafe” citations applied onsite by the city have been politically motivated.  

A Dewberry construction official told Urbanize Atlanta in May the crane is currently in “weathervane position,” allowing it to move with the wind, and is “maintained in accordance with applicable standards.” 

...

Follow us on social media: 

Twitter / Facebook/and now: Instagram  

• Midtown news, discussion (Urbanize Atlanta)