CLEARWATER, Fla. — Residents of a Clearwater condo are allowed to re-enter the building after a damaged column found inside the parking garage prompted an evacuation.
Karins Engineering said that emergency shoring and stabilization of the column where a crack developed have been completed at the South Beach III Condominium.
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While the building is safe to reoccupy, officials said residents must follow certain guidelines for the time being, including the continued closure of balconies in the "04" and "05" units.
They added that all construction will require prior written approval from Karins Engineering. Package deliveries will also be limited to 75 pounds.
Residents were evacuated from the Gulf Boulevard building on May 6, but were allowed to re-enter and gather their belongings, one at a time and within 15 minutes, this past Sunday. Officials said if any other signs of damage appear, residents will face another evacuation.
“I am nervous…I am nervous…I just really trust that the engineers wouldn’t let us back in if it wasn’t safe," said Aurora Donnelly, who moved back into her condo on Tuesday.
"I’m excited, I think there be a little bit of anxiety staying the first night…I'll probably have one eye open making sure everything is okay…but I feel like they wouldn’t let us come up if it wasn’t going to be safe for the most part," said Scott May, who also moved back in.
Pasco County woman trying to rebuild mobile home after hurricanes
"I cried, of course, because I've worked very hard getting it nice, which has been difficult for me since I lost my husband and being alone,” Kelly Welty said.
Welty's mobile home lost its roof during Hurricane Milton. She said it was the only one in the Buena Vista community to get totaled by a tornado.
