Surfside mayor halts construction near condo after families felt building shake: "I felt the shaking firsthand"

Residents of the Marbella condo in Surfside are demanding answers after feeling their building shake on Wednesday night, an incident that prompted a swift response from local officials and a pause on a nearby construction project.

The vibrations, which were felt by residents in the 9300 block of Collins Avenue, have been linked to a Florida Department of Transportation street project associated with a new high-rise construction south of the condo.

For many in the community, the shaking triggered significant alarm, particularly as the town approaches the five-year anniversary of the Champlain Towers South collapse.

"People are afraid of shaking because of Champlain Towers," said Zoila Benezra, a resident of the Marbella. "It's scary."

Surfside Mayor Shlomo Danzinger arrived at the scene around 11:25 p.m. after receiving calls from concerned residents. Danzinger, who said he felt the vibrations firsthand, confirmed the cause was a pile-driving technique used to shore a trench for the DOT-permitted project.

"I felt the shaking firsthand," Danzinger wrote in an update to residents. "The vibrations are caused by the method used to shore the trench."

Danzinger stated that while the project falls outside of the town's direct jurisdiction, the safety of residents is the top priority. The town has ordered an immediate pause on the work while engineers conduct an independent inspection of Marbella's foundation to ensure no structural damage occurred.

"We will not allow work to proceed until we either confirm there will be no further pile driving or until they present a plan that won't disrupt neighboring buildings," Danzinger said.

The town is currently coordinating with state representatives and has warned that if the developers cannot meet safety requirements, the town will pursue an emergency injunction to halt the project.

The Marbella condo board has indicated it will release a formal statement regarding the incident.