Bricks are flying at 1717 Bissonnett as demolition crews make way for the ever-controversial Ashby high rise . . . And when we say "flying," we mean it.
Workers have been caught taking down a brick wall of the former Maryland Manor in a less than careful manner.
Like the new 21-story tower that will replace it, the old apartment building sits just feet from neighboring homes. While crews attempted to keep debris inside the property line, one gentle push of the old apartment building's brick wall caused it to collapse — and destroy the fence of an adjacent residence.
That homeowner, Scott Reamer, caught the entire incident on camera (see the video above).
"The bricks that came flying over my fence landed only six inches away from my gas meter."
While developers Buckhead Investment Partners managed to beat back a six-year grassroots effort to stop construction from beginning on the the high rise, area residents remain committed to keeping close tabs on the project. The smashed fence video is now being used by the Stop the Ashby High Rise group.
"The Stop Ashby task force main concern right now is safety," Kathryn McNiel, a volunteer with the group, tells CultureMap. "This is a huge building on a very small space and just doesn't belong in a residential neighborhood like this. We plan to hold them accountable for every step along the way."
In early May, nearby residents filed suit against Buckhead with a claim that the tower will "cause harm to them and their homes." The video from Reamer — who is not listed as part of the lawsuit — certainly seems to support that charge.
“We have never believed this project could be built safely,” Jamie Flatt, another Stop Ashby member who lives next to the building site, said in a statement.
“The bricks that came flying over my fence landed only six inches away from my gas meter. It is ridiculous that the City allows a 21-story building to be built five feet away from someone’s back fence.”
You didn't think the Ashby high rise was going to be built quietly, did you?
