Marcus Dewayne Billingsley, died in the fall. 29-year-old father ID'd as man who fell 50 feet to his death at Highland Avenue work site in Birmingham, Alabama
Updated Sep 14; Posted Sep 14
By Carol Robinson
crobinson@al.com
Birmingham, Alabama
A Pleasant Grove father has been identified as the worker who fell 50 feet to his death at the construction site of a luxury apartment complex on Birmingham's Highland Avenue.
The Jefferson County Coroner's Office identified the victim as Marcus Dewayne Billingsley. He was 29.
The accident happened about 3 p.m. Thursday at Vesta apartments in the 2100 block of Highland Avenue. Coroner's officials said Billingsley and others were working on the 14th floor to extend the stairwell to the 15th floor. The complex is 17 floors.
There was a piece of wood covering the opening but Billingsley lifted it to do something, lost his balance and dropped to the ninth floor. Authorities said the fall was about 50 feet.
Billingsley was pronounced dead on the scene.
Friends said he leaves behind one son, and said Billingsley was a great father who always put his son first. Two of Billingsley's friends were working along side him when the accident happened and have been hard-hit by the death.
Positioned on the historic Highland Avenue South and 14th Avenue South, the nearly 390,000-square-foot development will consist of 318 luxury units, within an 18-story highrise building and a five-story midrise building. A 502-space parking structure will serve the residents. Estimated to be complete in the fall of 2018, the highly sought after complex will include a top-floor recreation area, complete with a roof-top pool, exercise facility, yoga + Pilates center, outdoor sun terrace and club lounge. The complex has space for future development of a restaurant on the entry level, as well as other luxury amenities. Vesta is the tallest structure under construction in the City of Birmingham in 30 years.