A rusting construction crane looming over The Midtowne, the former Campanile tower at Peachtree and 14th streets, has turned into a daily worry for some Midtown residents who say they are afraid it could collapse. Neighbors who look directly onto the site say the crane has sat largely idle for years while the building renovation sits exposed and unfinished, and some report that strong storms send the crane arm spinning. They want to see inspection records and proof that the crane’s foundation is secure.
Neighbors say the crane sits idle and spins in bad weather
Residents who live across the street say the crane has been out of operation for roughly four years and that gusty weather can make the tower sway. That movement has prompted repeated calls for inspections and more transparency from the city and the owner. Gary Freedman, who lives in an apartment opposite the site, told Rough Draft Atlanta he wrote to Mayor Andre Dickens’ office on April 7 asking for proof that the crane is secure and said he had not received a reply.
Rough Draft Atlanta also reports that renovation work on the tower began in 2019, stalled during the COVID-19 pandemic, and left the structure largely gutted. Neighbors say that after years of little visible change, the site has become a Midtown eyesore.
Developer says interior work restarted last year
On the developer’s side, John Dewberry of Dewberry Capital has told industry outlets that crews have resumed interior work and are planting pilings to prepare for an expansion, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The AJC lists the property at 1155 Peachtree St NE and reports that Dewberry has talked up renewed tenant interest even as much of the exterior remains stripped down.
From the sidewalk, though, neighbors say they see little to back up those assurances. They describe minimal visible progress and a crane that appears to sit in the same position for long stretches, which has only sharpened questions about whether it is being regularly inspected and maintained.
City flagged an abandoned project in 2021
The City of Atlanta’s Office of Buildings filed an “abandoned project” complaint against the Midtowne site in 2021 and carried out inspections, according to Urbanize Atlanta. City officials and council members have told neighborhood groups that they can require a construction site to meet safety and building code standards, but their legal tools to force a private developer to finish a complex project are limited.
That gap between safety oversight and project completion has left residents focused on transparency. They say they want to know what inspectors have found at the crane site, what the city has required from the owner, and whether any enforcement actions have been taken.
Juniper Street work, lane closures and growing traffic headaches
The stalled tower is also colliding with another big Midtown project. The Juniper Complete Street project, a 12-block corridor upgrade from 14th Street to Ponce de Leon Avenue, began construction in May 2023 and has involved phased lane work and inspections, according to Midtown Alliance. The organization’s project page shows a revised substantial-completion timeline and notes ongoing punch-list work along the corridor.
Rough Draft Atlanta reports that lane closures tied to The Midtowne construction site on 14th Street have kept parts of Juniper from fully reopening, compounding neighborhood frustration over traffic and the seemingly stuck crane overhead.
What residents say they need to see next
Neighbors say their wish list is straightforward: release the crane inspection records, provide a clear and realistic timeline from Dewberry Capital, and publicly confirm that the crane foundation meets current safety standards. As Urbanize Atlanta has reported, council members acknowledge that they cannot force a project to move at a particular pace, but say building and code enforcement should guarantee that any site open to the public realm is safe.
For now, residents say they will keep documenting conditions around the crane and pressing city officials to publish inspection results. Until those answers are public, the rusting tower above The Midtowne will remain one of Midtown’s most watched, and least loved, landmarks.
