Fans in last minute scramble for Spectrum souvenirs.

Comcast-Spectacor says it will hold one final event for the public on Saturday where fans can pay $25 and take anything they can carry away from the Spectrum arena in South Philadelphia. The company says the demolition will not affect any parking in the area of the Wells Fargo Center nor interfere with any entrance at the Wells Fargo Center.

“We will begin the demolition process by enclosing the Spectrum with protective fencing on Monday,” said Comcast-Spectacor President Peter Luukko. “The demolition of the arena will commence from the inside as early as Monday or Tuesday. We expect to be working on the exterior by the third week in November.”

The event on Saturday is called the “If You Can Carry It, You Can Keep It” event. Admission is $25 which includes a commemorative Spectrum crystal, as well as the opportunity to go onto the arena floor and take home a personal souvenir of the Spectrum.

Read more here.

Watch this space for Demolition Summit and Awards news and views.

We’re just over 24 hours away from the start of our Demolition Awards coverage and (partly to celebrate and partly to reacquaint ourselves with the technology) we have just posted a brief audio message.

We will be using this technology to bring you the latest news from the event, together with photos, interviews and ultimately post-award videos too.

So take a listen below and please be sure to check back on Friday 5 November when we’ll be coming to you LIVE from Amsterdam.

Demolition of pub in Yate delayed because of the discovery of asbestos.

Contractors charged with knocking down The Swan pub had to postpone work when a small amount of asbestos fibres were found, according to The Gazette.

The 19th century pub is being demolished as part of Tesco’s redevelopment of its shopping centre store. Spokesman Dan Bramwell said: “A small amount of asbestos was found.

“We had to go through South Gloucestershire Council’s statutory procedure which is why there was a delay. It has all now been cleared and the pub has been demolished.”

Read more here.

Clare County Council approves demolition of toilet with unparalleled sea views.

There are so many strange things about the following story that we barely know where to begin. But here goes.

Clare County Council has granted permission for the demolition of a public convenience with “unparalleled sea views”. (I have to be honest – On the thankfully rare occasions I am forced to use a public loo, the views are usually the last thing on my mind).

The loo is owned by John and Breda Galvin to demolish the toilets and replace them with two retail units and two apartments. (OK, so we must be talking about some pretty big loos here, right).

Mr Galvin paid the Council €400,000 of the “property” after his nearest bidder declined to go over the €400,000 mark for the property. (Wait, what? €400,000 for a public toilet and no guarantee of planning permission??)

Asked if he was happy with the price paid, Galvin said: “I would be happy if I got it for cheaper, but that’s the way it goes.” (Yep, that’s exactly the way €400,000 goes when you but a loo with sea views).

If that’s not strange enough for you, you can read more here.

Fallout from death of delusional woman comes to light five years late.

Managers at this Philadelphia Housing Authority development knew that Mildred Barnes was delusional. They also knew she was stubborn and wanted to stay in her home of 39 years, one that was slated for demolition.

But crews failed to make sure her building was empty before the excavator’s metal claw tore it into rubble.
Barnes died alone at the age of 65, buried under a mountain of steel, stone and rubble in what was the only refuge that looked familiar to her. PHA workers didn’t realise their fatal error until the next morning, July 15, 2005, when they arrived with a backhoe to chop up the debris.

The family of Mildred Barnes filed suit against PHA, and on the eve of the trial, in July 2008, relatives settled with PHA for $115,000.

But PHA’s Board of Commissioners was never told of the settlement, according to an internal report presented to the board last month. Mildred Barnes’ death, if widely known, would have put a blemish on PHA’s national success story of sprucing up public housing. But, according to website philly.com, former PHA Executive Director Carl R. Greene wanted nothing to taint his legacy.

Read the full story here.

One man killed another injured as demolition team storms house.

No sooner do we bring you one story demonstrating the slightly less serious side of enforced Chinese demolition than news reaches us of a far more sinister and tragic outcome.

According to the Shanghai Daily, police in northern Shanxi Province have detained five men who allegedly beat a villager to death and seriously injured another on Saturday night after breaking into their house to carry out demolition.

Nearly 10 people armed with spades, sticks and pickaxes smashed the windows and stormed into the house where the two victims, Meng Fugui and Wu Wenyuan, were sleeping in Guzhai Village near Taiyuan, the provincial capital.

Without a word, the five men started beating the two villagers until they passed out, Beijing News reported today. After dumping them on a road away from the village, the group tore down their house by excavators.
Meng died on the spot and Wu, the house owner, is still being treated in hospital.

Read the full story here.