Fort Lauderdale's streets are buzzing once again, but not with the usual Florida sunshine chatter – this time, it's the sound of construction resuming amidst a cloud of safety concerns. Just days after a deadly crane collapse on the 3rd Avenue bridge, work on the Gables high-rise apartment building is back in full swing, leaving locals stunned and apprehensive.
According to a CBS Miami report, a crane piece dramatically fell last Thursday, crushing cars and injuring two people – chaos that has seemingly done little to slow the construction frenzy. The catastrophe has been compounded by a second crane-related incident reported by Hoodline occurring near the SW 3rd Avenue bridge, further rattling the community.
This rush to erect the Gables project has not gone unnoticed. "It looked like they wanted to get that building up as fast as possible," Rosemary Laurent, a local resident, told CBS Miami. The proximity of the construction to existing buildings like the Water Garden Condominiums has only magnified fears, evidenced by past complaints of concrete spillage endangering the neighbors.
Even as the cement mixers rotate and pipes are delivered, Fort Lauderdale's concerned citizens reflect on the incidents that have marred their skyline. "It was scary. It almost hit a maintenance worker," Brenda Blume, a Water Garden condominium dog walker, related to the same CBS Miami coverage. Kast Construction has maintained its stance throughout the scrutiny, insisting on compliance with safety measures even as they find themselves under the investigatory gaze of OSHA following the crane's fall.
In response to the recent tragedies, the City of Fort Lauderdale's acting city manager expressed support for the OSHA investigation in a statement to CBSMiami, ensuring that "once the agency's findings are released city staff can determine the next steps." Meanwhile, Fort Lauderdale residents are left to navigate a tangible tension – between a cityscape in a hurry to rebuild and the sobering memory of a bridge where not just concrete, but mortality, was palpably felt.
