Implosion of Stalin-era Polish palace would set new world implosion record.

It’s difficult to get a handle on who actually holds the record for the world’s tallest building (ie, not mast or chminey) implosion. Depending who you ask, which website you consult or the method of measurement used, that record goes to Demolition Dynamics for its implosion of the 116 metre Landmark Tower in Fort Worth or CDI for its felling of the 133 metre high JL Hudson department store.

What is clear, however, is that this record will fall in spectacular fashion if the explosive demolition of the Polish Palace of Culture and Science goes ahead as planned.

At 230 metres and 44 storey in height, the Joseph Stalin Palace of Culture and Science was built between 1952 and 1955 as a “gift” from the Soviet Union, mirroring designs seen in Moscow and other cities. The reference to Stalin was removed in the wake of de-stalinisation, following the Soviet leader’s death in 1953.

However, there are now calls for this giant monolith to be the subject of a symbolic demolition to demonstrate a departure from its Cold War heritage and to save Polish taxpayers millions of dollars in energy and maintenance costs.

Read the full story here.

Investigators are treating as suspicious fire that halted demolition in British Columbia.

Muddy conditions, an incredibly short contract timeline, high levels of recycling required and protestors at the door. These are just some of the challenges facing the contractor working on the demolition of the Little Mountain social housing complex in Vancouver.

But the straw that broke this particular camel’s back was a fire that broke out apparently after demolition crews had left for the evening and which investigators are now treating as suspicious.

For months housing activists have been protesting the demolition of the Little Mountain complex, which is set to be redeveloped into a mix of condominiums and social housing units. Demolition at the site began last week, leaving many of the buildings stripped and empty.

Vancouver Fire Department battalion chief Jeff Dighton said it is still to early for investigators to say what started the blaze, but it was fortunate only one unoccupied building was destroyed.

“Our crews left the site at 4:45pm and by 6:30 the building was up in flames,” says a spokesman for the demolition contractor. “They are still not sure of the cause but arson is suspected.”

Further details can be found here and a video can be viewed here.

December 1 will mark the start of demolition work at Evansville’s Executive Inn.

Following the problematic demolition of its Owensboro twin, the demolition of the Executive Inn in Downtown Evansville will begin on 1 December, city officials announced today.

Browning Investments, an Indianapolis-based development firm, plans to knock down the back part of the hotel to make room for a new arena. Browning closed the Executive Inn on Monday, partly to prepare the building for the work.

During the next two weeks, the company will have crews at the site to build a fence, disconnect utilities, sell furniture and begin knocking down things inside the building.

“This major demolition phase of the arena project is important to maintaining our timeline,” said John Kish, the arena-project manager.

Evansville officials plan to have the arena built by the end of 2011.

In tandem with that work, Browning will renovate the front part of the Executive Inn, which faces Walnut Street, turning it into a three-star hotel run by a national chain like Marriott or Hilton.

Read further details here.

Implosion drops Albert Gallatin bridge into Monogahela River.

A bridge that spanned the Monongahela River for 79 years near Point Marion was destroyed this morning in a controlled implosion that dropped debris into the water below.

The Albert Gallatin Memorial Bridge, which for decades had carried Route 88 between the Fayette County town and Dunkard, Greene County, crashed into the Monongahela at 9 am, leaving a mass of tangled metal in the river next to the new bridge, which recently had opened to traffic.

The old bridge was considered one of the more dangerous spans in the region, though it was in use until recently.

The following video is not the best quality nor is it shot from the best angle; but it does show just how close the old span lies to the new one that replaces it.

County Commissioners consider allowing implosion waste to be stored at restaurant.

We’re all familiar with the term Not In My Back Yard or NIMBY for short; but rarely do we see evidence of its antithesis, the IMBY. Few people actively encourage demolition activities or waste disposal and processing in their own back yard. So we’re intrigued that a restaurant close to the South Padre Island Ocean Tower has offered its services as a temporary transfer station for a 45-day period after the flawed tower is dropped. And we’re even more intrigued by the fact that county commissioners are, apparently taking their application seriously!

Action on the site was tabled Thursday because the Commissioners’ Court needed additional information about the implosion of the structure, including whether there would be hazardous material involved and who would be in charge of removing the debris, County Judge Carlos H. Cascos said.

Costa Rica Food & Spirits Restaurant requested that it be allowed to store the remnants of Ocean Tower for about 45 days, while the steel and concrete is separated, said Cameron County Parks Director Javier Mendez.

Read the full story here.

We know oil and water don’t mix; but oil and idiot?

What do you get when you cross a disused can of WD40, a small fire, a medium sized shovel and a large idiot?

Lawsuit alleges Brooklyn officials left building open to thieves.

Bumbling city Buildings Department workers marked the wrong Brooklyn house for demolition, ordering the lock snapped and allowing thieves free rein, a lawsuit alleges.

“They left the premises unsecured, for all the druggies and homeless to just walk in and help themselves, and they did,” fumed Martin Senzer, 66, who lived in the house at 3044 Brighton 1st St.

Senzer’s nightmare began in January 2008, when the house immediately next door to his, No. 3048, went up in flames. The city decided it had to come down. “The inspector . . . who is either legally blind or an imbecile, put my address down,” said Senzer.

Read more here.

Nova Scotia YMCA building damaged by neighbouring demolition.

The new YMCA building in downtown Sydney remains closed because of damage sustained during the demolition of the old facility next door.

A wall of the 1940s building crashed during demolition on Sunday, sending bricks and rubble flying into the new section, which opened in July. No one was hurt.

The damage is in the new gymnasium, the track area and the conditioning centre. Andre Gallant, CEO of the Cape Breton YMCA, said some wallboard is cracked and insulation is poking through.

Further details can be found here.

First half of Kansas Turnpike bridge dropped by implosion.

76 metres down, 76 metres to go. Today’s successful dropping of a 250-ton section of original Kansas River bridge along the Kansas Turnpike now has officials turning their attention to 10 am Thursday, the anticipated time for detonating more explosives to cut through the rusted steel structure.

“This went great,” said Rex Fleming, the turnpike’s project engineer, at the blast site Sunday afternoon. “We’re ready to do it again.”

More than 150 onlookers crowded into parking lots, under shelters and up against trees Sunday in Burcham Park to observe the first bridge blast. It’s all part of an ongoing $130 million project for the Kansas Turnpike Authority, which is replacing its 55-year-old river bridges, overhauling two Lawrence interchanges and making other upgrades through the end of 2011.

Read more here or view the video below.

Lehman Brothers to foot bill for East Oakland hills demolition.

Lehman Brothers, the bankrupt financial partner for SunCal’s stalled Oak Knoll residential development, has agreed to pay for demolition of nearly 100 hazardous wooden buildings scattered across the 67.5 hectare site in the East Oakland hills.

The detailed announcement could come as early as today, said Lawrence Jacobson of Cohen and Jacobson LLP, the attorney handling the case for Oakland.

The city has filed claims of $6.7 million in U.S. Bankruptcy Court against Lehman Brothers, the amount it estimated it would take to secure the former Naval base and reduce the fire hazard created when SunCal ordered its contractors to walk away from the planned 960-unit development last year.

The estimate included demolition of old barracks, warehouses, garages and homes that have been torn apart by vandals seeking copper and other metals. It does not include the multistory hospital building or historic Club Knoll. It’s likely all the buildings contain asbestos.

Lehman already has released $500,000 to repair fences, hire security guards to protect the site, clear downed trees and trash, and bring in hundreds of goats that are mowing their way through the dry grass and weeds.

The agreement to release more money for the demolition came about after representatives of the bankruptcy court and Lehman Brothers and SunCal Companies toured the abandoned Oak Knoll buildings with city and Fire Department officials a few weeks ago, said Jacobson, adding that there still are some details that need to be worked out.

Further details here.