JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The general contractor of the parking garage that collapsed in Riverside Tuesday afternoon was involved in prior garage collapse three years ago.
According to Jacksonville Building and Inspection Division records, Baston-Cook Construction is the company that pulled the construction permit for Ascension St. Vincent's Riverside parking garage on King Street, which partially collapsed Tuesday.
Company spokesperson Jason Wasulko told First Coast News the company is aware of the collapse and is working with St. Vincent's to investigate the cause. He said he couldn't comment further because the investigation into the collapse is ongoing.
Baston-Cook Construction was the lead contractor in another parking garage collapse in Atlanta, Ga.
On Sept. 11, 2020, a portion of a parking deck that was under construction partially collapsed, injuring six workers, according to the Associated Press. Four workers had to be taken to the hospital. The following day, there was a second partial collapse that injured one person.
The garage was part of a massive 3,000-space parking garage expansion for an Emory University hospital just north of downtown Atlanta. According to the AP report, a column on the 11th level of the garage "gave way," causing debris to fall onto the level below.
At the time of that collapse, Wasulko said the cause was unclear and that engineers were inspecting the structural integrity of the entire parking deck. The company had updated permits at the time of the collapse, according to Atlanta city inspectors.
First Coast News asked Wasulko if he was aware of any other parking garage collapses, but despite speaking to reporters at the time of the Atlanta incident, he said he could not comment.
According to records obtained by First Coast News, the permit for the construction of the three-story parking garage on King Street was issued in August 2005.
Baston-Cook Construction is owned by Kajima Corp, located in Japan.