Crews remove crane that collapsed parking deck at Summerhill shopping center

ATLANTA - Nearly three weeks after a crane caused a portion of the parking deck to collapse at a Summerhill shopping center, crews have finally removed it.

A specialized crane was seen along the Fraser Street side of the complex late Thursday evening. Crews loaded the collapsed metal and debris onto a wrecker and hauled it away.

The crane fell through a portion of the deck of the parking garage at around 7 a.m. on Sept. 2. Officials say signage was posted in the area that listed the weight limit, but it appears to have been ignored.

A section of the deck collapsed under the weight of the crane.

"This heavy-duty vehicle, which was significantly in excess of the weight limit for the multi-level parking deck, punctured a discreet section of the deck and dropped to the level below," a statement released earlier this month by Branch Properties, which manages the site, reads.

No serious injuries were reported.

"The parking deck was originally constructed to the highest standards of safety and engineering specifications, and the deck remains structurally sound today," Branch Properties wrote.

The shopping center, located along Hank Aaron Drive SE, is home to a Publix and Piedmont Urgent Care center.

The collapse caused the grocery store to shut its doors for a week, causing concerns in the community because it is the only supermarket in the area and its unscheduled closure creates what is known as a food desert.

A recent study by Emory University shows poor and Black-majority neighborhoods of Atlanta lack access to fresh produce typically offered at supermarkets.

The store has since reopened, but the parking deck has remained closed.

Now that the crane has been removed, Publix shoppers hope the deck will soon reopen to traffic.