The short and ill-fated existence of Ocean Tower on South Padre
Island is scheduled to end in controlled violence today at 9
a.m., or as soon thereafter as conditions permit.
Controlled Demolitions Inc. was awarded a contract on Sept. 10
to take the building down. At 378 feet 9 inches, it is the
tallest reinforced concrete building ever imploded.
The tallest building was a 439-foot steel building. The largest
in terms of square feet was the Seattle Kingdome, which was also
demolished by CDI.
The Island building has been stripped to a bare shell over the
past several weeks, and most of the components sold to local
contractors. Ocean Tower LP wanted the demolition to be as green
as possible, CDI president Mark Loizeau said.
Even the debris will be recycled. The Cameron County Parks
Department plans to utilize most of the rubble as the base for
future paving of parking lots at Beach Access Roads 3 and 4.
The amount of dynamite used to drop the structure, hopefully in
its footprint, will be 1,550 pounds located in 3,000 pre-drilled
locations throughout the building. Over two miles of detonation
cord connects them all.
It will take only about 12.5 seconds after the initial
detonation for the 55,000 tons of steel-reinforced concrete to
come tumbling down.
Loizeau said the goal is to reduce the northward tilt of the
building, which is about 4.5 inches out of plumb at the
northwest corner due to uneven settling of the foundation, then
shift it slightly toward the east.
The implosion will begin on the east side, and move toward the
west. This should drop the structure straight down, he said.
Three primary concerns will determine the time of the explosion,
Loizeau said, with the primary consideration being safety.
The second is security. A perimeter has been established, and no
one will be permitted inside its boundary. Enforcing that
requirement will be South Padre Island police, Texas Parks and
Wildlife, U.S. Coast Guard, Cameron County Precinct 1 constables
and sheriff’s deputies and Texas Department of Public Safety
officers.
The final concern is weather. Loizeau said a light wind is
expected to be out of the north to perhaps the north-northeast.
He stated earlier he would not be comfortable with a southerly
wind because he did not want to take a chance on aggravating the
northward tilt of the structure.
South Padre Island interim Police Chief Javier Garza said the
town has taken the lead in providing security for the implosion
by coordinating all the agencies involved in security for the
exclusion zone. He emphasized that parking is limited, so
spectators should come early. Overnight camping on South Padre
Island is not permitted, he said.
He added that parking along Padre Boulevard would not be
allowed.
Officials expect some 6,000 people will attempt to watch the
destruction of the building.
Dan Quandt, executive director of the Island Convention and
Visitors Bureau, said all the convention center parking areas
have been designated and will be unavailable for public parking.
The Laguna Madre Leadership Class now in session will be
utilizing the front two lots as a fundraiser for local
organizations. The class is selling tickets for that area at $10
per vehicle.
The news media has been assigned all available parking on the
north side of the convention center itself.
Quandt said there will be a concession stand inside selling
beverages and snacks, and that the bathrooms would be available
to the public.
He emphasized that it is illegal to consume alcoholic beverages
between midnight Saturday and noon Sunday, so no alcohol is
allowed on convention center premises, including the parking
lots.
Loizeau said his contract requires his company to clean up the
debris, which he expects to accomplish by March 2010.
He added that Park Road 100 would remain closed to traffic until
the area in the vicinity of the implosion is inspected and
declared free of debris.
“This is about safety,” Island Fire Chief Burney Baskett said,
adding that fire and police units will be stationed north of the
action so they will be in place to take care of problems that
might arise during the time the road is closed.
“The perimeter will be rigidly enforced,” he said, and added
that includes on the water and in the air.
A temporary flight restriction zone has been established, he
said, and it extends upward for one mile above the exclusion
zone.
South Padre Island is only a few blocks wide and has around 5 miles of
city real estate, then you can drive north on the beach for nearly 30
miles of desolate beaches and beautiful sand dunes, until reaching the
Port Mansfield jetties and boat channel. You don't even need a
car; you can walk or bicycle, or ride the free shuttle. South Padre
Island boasts the best fishing in the U.S. in the
Laguna Madre, in the surf and offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.
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