Developers Reassure St. Pete Residents That 400 Central Is Not Going to Fall Over
Amid growing concerns about the structural stability of downtown St. Pete’s tallest skyscraper, representatives are once again reassuring residents that the 46-story tower is not expected to tip over and fall onto neighboring properties anytime soon.
Development consultant Graham Whitmore says the building was constructed to the highest standards, using the highest-quality materials, and that it’s very unlikely anything disastrous could happen.
“We want to assure everyone that 400 Central is not going to fall over,” Whitmore explained. “It might look like it’s leaning from certain angles, but that’s just an optical illusion.”
“It sure looks like it’s leaning to one side,” one downtown resident said. “But they say it isn’t, so I guess it’s okay.”
Officials also sought to address concerns about the potential impact on neighboring businesses and properties.
“There’s absolutely no reason to believe that 400 Central is going to tip sideways, fall across Central Avenue and crush Angelo’s Pizza,” Whitmore said. “Angelo’s has absolutely nothing to worry about.”
He added that the tower is not expected to fall in any other direction, either, and that The Galley should be well outside the drop zone.
Asked specifically about the safety of patrons at nearby La V Vietnamese Fusion, Whitmore was emphatic.
“La V has the best pho in St. Pete,” he said. “Have you had it? It’s absolutely fantastic.”
Whitmore also dismissed concerns about the possibility of severe weather compromising the building’s stability.
“Even if a Category 4 hurricane were to come through St. Pete, there’s no reason to believe anything associated with this development would topple over and damage a neighboring building,” Whitmore explained. “That’s just not the kind of thing we would allow to happen.”
“We have every confidence that 400 Central will remain standing for many years to come,” he said. “And we encourage everyone to continue going about their business as usual.”
Representatives declined to elaborate on what prompted the reassurances, reiterating that there is currently no reason to believe any buildings downtown will fall over in the near future.
