Implosion of 1515 South Flagler Building set for Feb. 14
Feb 12, 2010 - Construction Services, Mayor's Office
Area Surrounding the Building will be Off-limits to the Public
(Wednesday, February 10, 2010) The City of West Palm Beach is proceeding with plans to monitor and assist with the implosion of the 1515 South Flagler condominium building. The implosion is scheduled for Sunday, February 14, 2010, at 9:00 a.m. The implosion is being performed by Advanced Explosives Demolition, Inc. The prime contractor on the demolition is the BG Group.
In the interest of public safety, the area immediately surrounding the building will be off-limits to the general public beginning at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, February 14. The public will not be permitted within 750 feet of the building and the roads in that area will be closed to traffic.
Because the 1515 South Flagler building is located in a residential area, there is no public parking immediately adjacent to the site. City-owned parking garages in the downtown area will be open. People who wish to view the implosion in person are reminded to stay off private property (including lawns of people’s homes), to avoid obstructing any area roadways and to follow all vehicle parking rules and regulations.
Police sirens will sound for 15 seconds on three occasions: 10 minutes prior to the implosion; 5 minutes prior to the implosion; and, 1 minute prior to the implosion.
Beginning at 6:00 a.m. on the morning of February 14, Flagler Drive will be closed to thru traffic from Lakeview Avenue south to Barcelona Road. The road is expected to reopen no later than noon. No traffic will be permitted within 750 feet of the 1515 South Flagler building and all roads within 750 feet of the building will be closed. Also beginning at 6:00 a.m., additional roads in the immediate surrounding area of the building will be open for local traffic only but closed to thru traffic.
If you reside within 500 feet from the 1515 Condominium (within the shaded area on Map 1), for your safety, you are being asked to leave your home by 6:00 A.M. on the morning of the 14th. Police Officers will be going door to door beginning at 6:00 A.M. to ensure you have left the premises. Click on the graphic below to enlarge Map 1.
500 Foot Hazard Area / Evacuation Zone
If you reside between 500 and 750 feet from the 1515 Condominium (outside the shaded area on Map 1 but inside the area shaded on Map 2) you are located in the “Emergency Services Safety Zone”. In this zone you are asked to remain within your home or structure, and keep your windows and doors closed for your safety during this event. Persons will not be permitted to stand outside in this area. Click on the graphic below to enlarge Map 2.
750 Foot Emergency Services Safety Zone
Persons outside the 750 foot Emergency Services Safety Zone are in the “safe viewing area” and may conduct their lives as normal. However residents in the “safe viewing area” should also be prepared for road closures which may affect their ability to enter or leave the general vicinity on the morning of the 14th. Please see the attached road closures on Map 3. Road closures are shown in red. Detour routes are shown in green. Click on the graphic below to enlarge Map 3.
Proposed Road Closures
New Schedule to Improve Customer Service in Construction Services
Aug 19, 2009 - Construction Services
New Operating Hours Also Help Make City Department More Efficient
(Wednesday, August 19, 2009) The City of West Palm Beach’s Department of Construction Services announced a new schedule today with the goal of improving customer service and making the department as efficient as possible.
Due to a slowdown in business, the Department’s staff has been working 32 hours a week for the past few months. Because the Department remained open five days a week, the reduced staff hours meant that the Department was operating with reduced staff levels.
Effective August 21, 2009, the Department will be open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This new, four-day-a-week schedule will allow for the department to be fully staffed during operating hours rather than having reduced staffing.
“As we expand our on-line services and move toward doing more things digitally, we still recognize the importance of providing top quality customer service face-to-face,” said Department of Construction Services Director Doug Wise.
Residents and businesses will continue to have access to the Department’s website 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The website is wpb.org/construction.
WPB first city in Florida to receive prestigious building honor
Mar 17, 2008 - Construction Services, Mayor's Office
(Monday, March 17, 2008) The City of West Palm Beach’s Construction Services Department has become the first such municipal department in the state of Florida, and only the fifth in the nation, to receive a prestigious honor from an industry group.
The Construction Services Department has earned the Building Department Accreditation awarded by the International Accreditation Services (IAS). The accreditation certifies that the Construction Services Department is operating effectively, maintaining high standards and doing business in an ethical, legal and professional manner.
“This honor recognizes the West Palm Beach Construction Services Department as one of the best building departments in the country,” said Director Neil Melick. “The accreditation proves we are following all building guidelines for protecting public safety in our City.”
In order to get the accreditation, the department voluntarily submitted to intense scrutiny by the IAS, an independent, third-party agency. The evaluation covered policies, procedures, processes, information systems and management practices. An IAS team visited the department, interviewing personnel and representatives from the local construction industry.
The IAS is a non-profit public-benefit corporation that has been a recognized accreditation body since 1975 and is recognized as one of the leading accreditation bodies in the United States. The IAS is a subsidiary of the International Code Council.