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Inspection report: Balconies, railings on Atlanta skyscraper at risk of failing

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Inspection report: Balconies, railings on Atlanta skyscraper at risk of failing


Inspection report: Balconies, railings on Atlanta skyscraper at risk of failing

Balconies on a Northwest Atlanta apartment complex and condominium are at risk of falling apart and injuring someone standing on them or under them, according to an inspection report.

The 72-page document is based on a visual inspection performed in January and February of this year.

In that report, an inspector said he saw evidence that indicates hundreds of balconies at Seven88 West Midtown are unsafe because they could break apart, and the railing could fail.

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The condos are located at 788 W. Marietta St. in Northwest Atlanta.

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One balcony has already failed there this year, according to an email property management sent to residents in January.

The email said, “Earlier today, a portion of a balcony attached to a unit on the 13th floor detached from the building. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported.”

The letter warned residents to stay off the balconies until inspectors could check each one.

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“Yeah, they told us not to be on them,” said Jacob Tiger. He rents at Seven88.

Channel 2’s Courtney Francisco obtained City of Atlanta inspection reports that show a third party inspected them when the building was built in 2020.

This year appears to be the first year balcony concerns have surfaced.

“Apparently, there’s been some cracks. I don’t even know too much of it,” said Tiger.

That’s a common response Channel 2’s team heard when talking to residents there. Many said they have not received an update from property management on the inspection reports or when they can use the balconies they pay for.

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So, Francisco read the engineer’s visual inspection report from earlier this year.

According to the document, out of 279 units at the complex, 221 balconies exhibited problems such as: surface cracking, cracks on corners and under guard attachments, concrete breaking off, deep holes and crack on underside, grout deteriorating and exposed rebar.

The inspection report said some balconies are safe to walk on, even with damage. However, the engineer warned that there should be no jumping, heavy objects or leaning on railings. He also wrote that 42 balconies are so concerning, no one or nothing should be on them, and people in the first floor units should not stand under them.

“We would highly recommend restricting usage to only opening the doors,” said the inspector.

Additionally, the inspector said all lower-level units on the first floor should refrain from using their exterior spaces due to the potential hazard of falling debris.

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When Channel 2 went to the complex to find out when residents can expect a fix, the property manager provided a number to an attorney representing the property.

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That attorney did not return calls for comment.

Residents want to know why this is happening and to find out if it could have been prevented. They also want to know how the property owner will fix the balconies.

“I just care about my safety,” said Tiger.

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The inspector who wrote the 2025 report said no comment beyond his findings were in the document. He pointed Channel 2 to an attorney who did not respond to calls for further information.

Channel 2 reached out to the City of Atlanta’s inspector who approved the high rise in 2020 to find out why this could be happening. We are waiting to hear back.

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Atlanta, GA

Serious crashes block Atlanta’s Downtown Connector, Lawrenceville Highway early Friday

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Serious crashes block Atlanta’s Downtown Connector, Lawrenceville Highway early Friday


A major crash involving eight vehicles shut down all southbound lanes of the Downtown Connector early Friday morning, causing significant traffic delays near University Avenue.

What we know:

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The crash was reported on Interstate 75/Interstate 85 just before University Avenue, with injuries confirmed at the scene. Traffic was being diverted off the connector at Interstate 20, Exit 247, while the entrance ramp from I-20 to the connector southbound was also closed. Drivers were advised to use Exit 56A to McDaniel Street or alternate routes including Metropolitan Parkway or Interstate 285. The scene was cleared and lanes began reopening around 6:30 a.m. FOX 5 Atlanta is waiting for a final report on what happened. 

A separate serious injury crash was also reported in DeKalb County on Lawrenceville Highway westbound between Montreal Road and Interstate 285. All lanes were blocked, and authorities said the incident involved a pedestrian struck by a vehicle. Both investigations were ongoing. The scene was cleared and lanes reopened around 6:45 a.m., according to Georgia Department of Transportation. 

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Falcons deny Cowboys’ request to interview DC Jeff Ulbrich, per report

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Falcons deny Cowboys’ request to interview DC Jeff Ulbrich, per report


The Atlanta Falcons are in the process of hiring a new head coach and general manager, but that doesn’t mean the team is completely cleaning house. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has done an incredible job with the Falcons defense since replacing Jimmy Lake in the offseason.

The Falcons would prefer to keep Ulbrich, as team owner Arthur Blank stated, but the new head coach will have the final say. According to a report from ESPN’s Todd Archer, Atlanta blocked the Dallas Cowboys’ request to interview Ulbrich on Thursday.

“The Cowboys were denied by Atlanta to talk with Jeff Ulbrich for DC job, according to sources,” wrote Archer. “He remains under contract [with] the Falcons despite their search for a head coach. A potential interview can be revisited later if they hire a [head coach], who has a different coordinator in mind.”

Blank discussed Ulbrich’s impact during his Thursday press conference and said he was impressed with the work he did with the team’s rookie draft class. James Pearce Jr. led all rookies in sacks with 10.5 this season, while third-round pick Xavier Watts racked up a rookie-high five interceptions as the team’s starting safety.

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“You can’t dictate to the new head coach who their coordinators would be, but I’d certainly recommend to the new head coach to consider Ulbrich,” Blank said of the Falcons’ current defensive coordinator.

It sounds like the Falcons aren’t going to let Ulbrich out of their sights, and it’s hard to blame them. The Falcons defensive coordinator helped the team record a franchise-record 57 sacks this season, just one year after finishing 31st in the NFL with just 31 sacks.

Follow along with each request and interview with our Falcons head coach tracker.



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What the $245M refinance of a Midtown office tower signals for Atlanta

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What the 5M refinance of a Midtown office tower signals for Atlanta


Business

The tower at 1105 W. Peachtree St., which bears Google’s logo, recently secured a new loan at a time many landlords are struggling to do so.

1105 West Peachtree (Google Tower in Midtown) is shown Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, in Atlanta. The Google Tower is one of the developments done by Selig Enterprises. (Jason Getz/AJC)

It hasn’t been easy the past few years to be an office landlord.

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Many tenants shrunk their workspaces coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning buildings that lost rental revenue also lost value. Interest rates surged. Many banks got gun shy over having too much money lent to office tower owners, and a whole lot of loans have been coming due.

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The tower at 1105 W Peachtree St. in Midtown Atlanta is one of the city's newest office buildings.

The tower at 1105 W Peachtree St. in Midtown Atlanta is one of the city’s newest office buildings.

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Zachary Hansen

Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He’s been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people’s lives.



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