A heavy timber observation tower at a Tampa Bay-area park is being closed due to "serious safety concerns," officials said. The Linda Pedersen Park Observation Tower in Hernando County, located about 60 miles north of Tampa, is shut down until further notice after "significant deterioration" due to weather exposure, aging materials and "outdated fastening methods," according to a release from the Hernando County Parks & Recreation Department. Two inspections found that the 40-foot-tall tower is at risk of falling due to an array of problems, including missing deck planks and unstable stairs; loose railings; detached joists and rim boards, "compromising load-bearing integrity;" and "internal decay" in the main part of the tower. The tower, which was constructed in 1994 and offered a panoramic view of marshland and the Gulf of Mexico, will be closed for the foreseeable future, officials said.