St. Pete tower cranes could topple into adjacent buildings

Mayor Ken Welch warned that several high-rise construction cranes could collapse into surrounding buildings due to Hurricane Milton’s rapidly strengthening wind and track towards St. Petersburg.

Welch announced the potential, and significant, hazard at a Tuesday afternoon emergency briefing. The four construction sites – three downtown and one in the Gateway area of northeast St. Petersburg – include:

• 400 Central Ave.
• 275 1^st Ave. N.
• 1000 1^st Ave. N.
• 101 Main Street

“We are recommending that residents in this area either relocate or move into an inner room without windows as the storm is passing,” Welch added. “We’re learning things that we’re going to use to update our procedures and processes going forward, but there’s just no way in this window of time to bring those cranes in.”

Welch said construction crews must lower or secure a tower crane several days in advance due to the “specialized nature” of those operations. That was “not a feasible solution” due to the storm’s rapid intensification, and the development equipment now poses an additional threat to life and property.

Milton strengthened from a Category 1 hurricane to a Category 5 in 10 hours Monday. The storm’s windspeed topped 160 mph before a 5 p.m. emergency briefing that day.

Welch also noted that the latest forecasting models agree that Milton will strike in or near Tampa Bay as a strong Category 3. He said the city has “never had a storm this powerful with winds this strong” that requires lowering or removing construction cranes.

City officials work with developers to ensure high-rise cranes are in weathervane mode before storms. That allows the massive equipment to move with the wind rather than resist it, which is less safe.

Building manager Don Tyre said typical construction sites use portable machinery that is easier to place on the ground or remove. Tower cranes “are basically fixed in place” during high-rise construction.

He said cranes downtown, like one used on the Residences at 400 Central, can soar 600 feet in the air. Tyre explained that those “basically build itself as it goes vertical.” Elevating one section is a two-day process.

“It usually takes about a week to plan any kind of crane job or disassembly-type process,” Tyre added. “It’s a specialized crew that performs the work. So, it’s very hard to plan for that in advance.”

Officials are particularly concerned with the 400 Central site. The luxury condominium building will become St. Petersburg’s tallest at 515 feet when construction concludes in mid-2025.

The development utilizes three cranes – one towers 600 feet above the city’s downtown core. Tyre said the remaining two are roughly 500 feet and 150 feet tall, respectively.

He told the Catalyst that 400 Central’s cranes can withstand 110 mph winds. Tyre said the remaining sites “are rated” up to 145 mph. “If we anticipate wind speeds over 100, even though the safety factor is 110 to 145 for those cranes, it could be a potential hazard because of the gusts.”

St. Petersburg received an 82-mph gust during Hurricane Helene, which passed over 100 miles offshore. When asked if the cranes should remain standing during hurricane season, Tyre said, “That is a factor.”

“Typically, the cranes are safe in weathervane mode up to about 100 miles an hour,” he added. “It really takes a direct hit from a storm to create this potential havoc.”

Officials are also concerned with the possibility of the Viv development’s (left) cranes toppling in Hurricane Milton’s winds. Photo by Mark Parker.

The hazardous construction sites include the Art House St. Pete, and Viv developments, and a new project in Echelon City Center. Tyre said the safest place for adjacent residents is in a stairwell.

He said they wouldn’t have to shelter for the storm’s duration, and those locations may not experience extreme winds. However, officials repeatedly stressed that everyone should prepare for the city’s worst-case scenario.

“The city is working to notify residents in the surrounding areas, and we are distributing informational materials to inform residents of the potential of the potential hazard,” Welch said. “Every resident in those areas should take the necessary precautions to prepare for those storms.

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