Cracked Support Column Forces Evacuation of Clearwater High-Rise Condo
CLEARWATER — Approximately 60 residents were evacuated from the 12-story South Beach III condominium at 1460 Gulf Boulevard on Tuesday after construction workers discovered a significant crack in a concrete support column in the building’s parking garage.
Emergency responders from Clearwater Fire & Rescue and the Clearwater Police Department conducted door-to-door evacuations, ensuring the safety of the building’s occupants. At the time of the incident, the building was about 40% occupied. No injuries were reported, and the structure has not collapsed. However, residents will not be allowed to return until engineers deem the building safe.
The crack, reportedly over 2 feet wide, was found during renovation work in the ground-level parking garage. Construction crews immediately alerted authorities upon noticing the widening fissure. Firefighters began stabilizing the building upon arrival, and the scene was turned over to private contractors around 9 p.m. on Tuesday. Stabilization work is expected to continue through at least Wednesday. People.com
The South Beach III condominium, built in 1975, underwent a structural inspection in September 2024 by Karins Engineering. The report stated that the foundation and overall structure were in “good condition,” with no observed conditions compromising the building’s safety. However, the city of Clearwater did not receive this report by the December 31 deadline, as required by new statewide condo safety guidelines implemented after the 2021 Surfside condominium collapse. Tampa Bay Times
While the exact cause of the crack remains under investigation, officials have noted that renovations were ongoing, including work on the garage floor parking slab. It is unclear whether recent construction played a role in the structural crack. The building’s management, in coordination with their engineer and city public safety officials, ordered the evacuation out of an abundance of caution.
In the meantime, the Red Cross is assisting displaced residents, and police remain on-site through the night. Residents have been advised to plan to be out of their homes for the next 72-96 hours as stabilization efforts continue. FOX 13 Tampa Bay
This incident comes nearly four years after the tragic Surfside condominium collapse in 2021, which claimed 98 lives. The Surfside disaster has led to increased scrutiny and new regulations regarding the structural integrity of older condominium buildings in Florida.
