Metrodome Explosion

Yesterday construction crews exploded the ring around the metrodome. Unfortunately, I was sleeping when this happened. Time magazine, USA Today, and the NFL network picked up the story, along with local news networks. Of course people love watching things explode. Last week, a part of it collapsed unexpectedly which granted some publicity. On December 3rd, the official groundbreaking occurred and some local celebrities were there. 

(image courtesy Library of Congress- Singer Building)

Speaking of large buildings being demolished, the Singer Building in New York City is the largest intentionally demolished building in the United States. Built in 1908, it was 44 stories tall. In 1968, it was demolished to make way for SOM designed One Liberty Plaza.

(image courtesy of the MSUM 1970s image gallery - Neumaier Hall  )

 In the upper midwest, some notable building demolitions that pop into my head seem to be Neumaier Hall in Moorhead, MN on the MSUM campus which was imploded in 1999. Donald Schwert of the department of Geosciences at NDSU has a nice webpage here that sums up what happened to Neumair Hall. (some of the caissons had issues) Nonetheless, a new Neumair Hall stands today and it seems like they built it low rise to avoid caisson issues on the site going forward.

(image courtesy of the MHS Visual Resources Collection, Montgomery Ward and Midway Shopping Center, 1963)

The Montgomery Ward building (short history here) along University Avenue in St. Paul, MN also sparks my interest. It was the tallest building between the downtowns of Minneapolis and St. Paul before it was imploded in 1996. It seems like it was completed in 1921 as a gigantic warehouse for the Montgomery Ward catalog company. It had 1.2 million square feet under one roof and its 257 foot tall water tower was supposedly the tallest reinforced concrete structure in the world according to Millett in the book; Twin Cities: Then and Now. It is too bad that was demolished because it possibly could have been renovated into lofts or something interesting (like this Montgomery Ward building in Chicago) . The new developer seemingly tried to emulate the tower in their design, however, it obviously doesn't have the same flair. (see below) Now, it is a non-memorable but utilitarian shopping center which will be a quick light rail ride away from the University of Minnesota soon.