Real estate company says concerns about downtown crane affecting workflow

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - The real estate company near where a downtown construction crane is leaning because of foundation issues said safety concerns is impacting business.

Exit Realty Elite, located across the street from where the crane sits, said Tuesday the concern over safety is keeping its agents and broker away from the office. The real estate agency is calling for a quicker response from Yates Construction Company.

“I just know that nobody really knows anything,” Kel Williams, owner of Exit Realty Elite, said.

That’s a statement WSMV4 has heard a few times from people in close proximity to the site near the intersection of Division and Overton streets where the crane is located.

In December, WSMV4 received an engineering report that revealed the construction crane has foundation issues. Metro Codes spoke with the construction company and confirmed their inspection by a state certified engineer.

“I have reviewed the condition of the crane pad supporting the Morrow Crane,” Engineer Ashleigh Weatherly wrote in a letter to Yates Construction. “The foundation has experienced about 2 inches of settlement ... The crane should not be operated until (the) foundation issue is resolved. However, I am comfortable with the crane remaining in place.”

“It’s very concerning,” Williams said.

Williams said this concern keeps some of his 60 agents away from the office, including his broker.

“She only comes in when she has to, and we just had some things she needed to do in person today and I’ve had some other people who haven’t come to training because of that,” Williams said.

Williams wants to know if they are really safe.

“The sites have been empty over here for almost a month now. If it’s not safe enough for them to be there, why have they stopped construction if it’s safe to go forward? Makes me wonder. We’re here. Should we not be here because their employees aren’t?” Williams said.

The owner of the real estate company said Tuesday he called Metro Codes and Yates Construction’s local office trying to get answers for himself and would like the issue resolved quickly.

WSMV spoke with Yates Construction on Tuesday and the company said the crane is safe in the position it’s in and they are still working on a solution and should have an update in a couple of days.

The Metro Codes Department said although the situation would usually fall under OHSA’s jurisdiction, it would continue working with the appropriate bodies to ensure the safety of both construction personnel and the general public.

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