The walls are coming down at Olsen Middle School in Dania Beach-- not the current school, but the old building, which was completed in 1954 and has sat unused for three decades, an eyesore fenced off from the public.

The demolition started Friday, and should be finished in about a month, according to Broward County Public School officials. The space will be turned into a park.

"We see the walls, we se the roof of a structure that was built in the 50s, and it is because of our unwavering commitment that those walls are coming down today," said Valerie Harris, the principal of Olsen Middle School.

A small crowd applauded her at a ceremony Friday afternoon.

The school district allocated $800,000 from its SMART bond program to get the demolition done. Across the district, however, dozens of the district's other renovation projects are way behind schedule, including new air conditioning systems that need to be installed and new cafeterias that need to be constructed.

Broward Superintendent Robert Runcie said that "When we started out, back in 2014, the thought was that we'd do roof maintenance work. Now, we're doing roof replacement on probably 90% of the roofs we have in the county."

He said the surface area of all the roofs the districts is replacing is equal to the pavement on the entire length of I-595. The bond programs price tag jumped from $800 million to $1.4 billion.

"That's very different than the original estimates that we had back in 2014," Runcie said. "When we award these projects, they're being done within budgets that we grant, but those are estimates."

"Those arent the real numbers of the scopes of the projects were dealing with, so I think the criticism that it's taking far longer than everyone expected is fair."

Some of the renovation projects, such as those at Stranahan and Blanche Ely High Schools, are years overdue. Others, Runcie said, are delayed by design.

For example, the plan to renovate Northeast High School morphed into a plan to build two new classrooms, so it's taken more time. The public can track each project on the school districts website.

Runcie says all the projects will be done by 2025. They had originally been scheduled for completion this year.

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Broward Schools' Renovation Initiative Moves Forward With Demolition of Old Building - NBC 6 South Florida

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Westmoreland County Redevelopment Authority seeking blighted properties for demolition - TribLIVE

The sight of San Diego's rapidly vanishing Mission Valley stadium now has a companion piece downtown, where demolition crews have scraped away the facade of the once-iconic Horton Plaza mall, rendering it unrecognizable in some spots.

Demolition work has dramatically altered the site of the former mall that helped to anchor the revitalization of San Diegos downtown and Gaslamp Quarter.

The work is being done to make way for a new $330 million high-tech office campus and lifestyle center called the Campus at Horton, much of which will utilize the bones of Horton Plaza. Developers expect the final site to boast 700,000 square feet of office space and 300,000 square feet of retail space, including both restaurants as well as shops.

Good news for commuters: The Campus at Horton will retain Horton Plaza's parking garage, enough spaces for 2,200 drivers to park.

See below for a gallery of artist renderings of the completed project:

Horton Plaza originally opened to the public in 1985, housing a movie theater, Macys and other department stores, and restaurants.

The glory, the glamour and the glitz it brought to San Diego, Oscar Carlson told NBC 7 last summer when the demolition began. We lived in Oceanside when it opened, but we came down frequently just for the experience.

SkyRanger 7 captured a bird's eye view -- through some fog -- of the progress of the demolition at SDCCU Stadium in Mission Valley on Jan. 8, 2021.

Horton Plaza's unique architecture distinguished it from other malls in the county. The Los Angeles Times even called it a landmark of urban design.

Developers hope the new project will attract Silicon Valley technology companies to San Diego, with 3,000 and 4,000 new workers employed at the Campus at Horton. The project is expected to be completed by early next year.

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Can You Believe This Was Horton Plaza? - NBC San Diego

The enforcement team of department of town and country planning(DTCP) on Friday carried out a demolition drive in Farrukhnagar in which three colonies were demolished amid protests by residents

PUBLISHED ON FEB 20, 2021 07:06 PM IST

The enforcement team of department of town and country planning(DTCP) on Friday carried out a demolition drive in Farrukhnagar in which three colonies were demolished amid protests by residents. DTCP officials said that 20 acres of land was cleared of unauthorised structures, which were constructed without any permission. A large posse of Gurugram police also accompanied the enforcement team, said officials.

RS Bhath, district town planner, enforcement, said that 10 under-construction houses and around 100 plinths and several boundary walls were demolished. Offices of the dealers based there were also demolished. Long-term demolition drives are planned this month and next month against illegal colonies, he said.

Meanwhile, in a related development the enforcement team of Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) also carried out a major demolition drive against encroachments in HSVP markets in sectors 23 and 21.

Sandeep Lot, junior engineer, HSVP, said that several shopkeepers had made extensions in their shops, others had covered the corridors and there were a lot of complaints from residents. The enforcement team will take action against violators in HSVP markets in the coming weeks. We removed encroachments today and if these are repeated criminal action will be initiated, he said.

A team from Palam Vihar police station helped in the demolition drive, said HSVP officials.

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DTCP carries out demolition drive in Farruknagar - Hindustan Times

The Grand Haven Department of Public Safety is asking the public to maintain a safe zone during the demolition of the Board of Light & Power Sims plant on Harbor Island.

The demolition is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 19, between 8 and 9 a.m.

A 1,400-foot safe zone perimeter is required for the demolition contractor to safely conduct operations, public safety officials said. The safe zone includes the boardwalk and parking lots at Chinook Pier and the Farmers Market.

"Please do not enter the safe zone," GHDPS Director Jeff Hawke said.

Those in the area are encouraged to use the Lynne Sherwood Waterfront Stadium as a safe location to watch the explosion.

The Grand Haven Municipal Marina parking lot will be closed to the public.

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Public asked to maintain safe zone for BLP demolition Friday - Grand Haven Tribune

GRAND HAVEN, MI On a snowy morning, a part of Grand Havens history was reduced to rubble as the J.B. Sims power plant and its smokestack were brought down by explosives.

The demolition of the shuttered plant on Harbor Island occurred right around 8 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 19.

Crowds gathered to watch as first the power plant imploded into the ground quickly followed by the towering smokestack that toppled onto its side.

16

Demolition of Grand Haven's coal-burning Sims power plant

The former coal-burning plant was shut down almost exactly a year earlier, though the decision to shut it down was made two years prior.

Related: Grand Havens coal-burning Sims power plant shutting for good

Operated by the Grand Haven Board of Light & Power, the 37-year-old plant needed $35 million in repairs to remain operational, and would have been expensive to operate, officials said. Besides, its coal-burning operation didnt fit with the push to reduce greenhouse gases to combat climate change.

The site on Harbor Island where the Sims plant is located will continue to house the substation serving Grand Havens downtown.

The city is now purchasing electricity through the Michigan Public Power Agency, comprised of 22 municipalities that have had their own power plants.

Also on MLive:

Plan for Grand Haven waterfront and new farmers market ready for public input

$5M grant sought to expand Muskegon Countys planned park on Lake Michigan

Senior center warned of possible eviction over claims of repeated COVID safety order violations

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Explosives bring down power plant in Grand Haven - MLive.com

The following petition is being circulated by concerned Merrill area citizens who are trying to save the T.B. Scott Mansion from demolition.The petition reads:

PETITION TO SAVE T.B. SCOTT MANSION FROM DEMOLITION

We, the undersigned, do hereby request that Ascension Good Samaritan Hospital and Ascension Wisconsin stop the planned demolition of the mansion known as T. B. Scott Mansion located at 501 S. Center Avenue in Merrill, Wisconsin, until such time as the full and official transfer of the property to Aspirus Health.Further, we implore Aspirus Health to meet with and actively pursue a dialogue with residents of the City of Merrill and other interested parties who wish to preserve and protect the mansion.Those circulating the Petition are trying to create convenient ways for all interested parties to sign. Currently the petition is available to sign at Merrills historic Trophy Bar on East Main St. (across from the Cosmo). Open Tuesday through Friday at 3:00 p.m., weekends at noon.

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Petition circulating to save T.B. Scott Mansion from demolition - Merrillfotonews

The demolition process for the 70-year-old Wendell Avenue Bridge is expected to take up to two months with a new bridge in place by the middle of October.

The deck of the old bridge was in poor condition, and the low weight capacity of the bridge didnt allow heavy trucks to drive over it, said Caitlin Frye, the Northern Region information officer for the Department of Transportation. The new bridge will accommodate heavier vehicles and will have wider sidewalks and road shoulders for pedestrians and bicyclists.

The department is demolishing the bridge piece by piece, starting with the upper part of the deck and working down from there, basically demolishing it from the top down, Frye said.

In order to remove the piers, they will build a small dam around the piers to reroute the water and create a dry pocket, she said. Then they will start digging out the piers.

A benefit of doing this work in the winter is that the water levels are low, and the current is not as strong as it is in the summer. It would very difficult or impossible to build those cofferdams in the summer, Frye explained.

The demolition is going well so far, but cold weather could delay the process because hydraulic systems stop working when temperatures get very cold, Frye said.

Besides, if construction workers find unexpected materials under the bridge when they tear it down, it can complicate the demolition.

We dont know what has happened to the materials under the water over the past70 years, Frye said. If there was something driven into the river bed that got stuck under a big boulder or got twisted or caught on something else, it could be difficult to remove something like that, but we dont want to leave materials like that in the river.

The department staffis stayingoptimistic that everything will continue smoothly.

After demolishing the old bridge, the department will put down piles for the new one and start the replacing process, which is anticipated to be completed by the end of the construction season.

The old Wendell bridge was built back in 1953, around the same time when they started paving the roads in Fairbanks, Frye said. Repairinga bridge this old would cost as much as replacing it or around $17 million. Frye said the project, originally planned by the state, is now 90% federally funded with a 10% match from the state.

The bridge has been closed since September, allowing workers to tear up approaches to the bridge, remove utilities and build a temporary bridge.

The amount of work required to build this new bridge is tremendous, Frye said. We are working year-round to get the project done so that we dont have to have the bridge closed for any longer.

Besides closing the Wendell bridge for demolition and replacing, the department is also replacing the University Avenue Bridge over the Chena River.

If you are going around the University closure, youll most likely take Peger road, she explained. If you are taking Wendell, youll do Cushman Street Bridge or Steese.

Both of the construction projects are on schedule.

We recognize we are asking a lot of the Fairbanks community this winter: construction in winter is not what we typically do, Frye said. We appreciate so much their patience, this winter in particular.

Contact staff writer Alena Naiden at 459-7587. Follow her at twitter.com/FDNMlocal.

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Wendell bridge demolition expected to take two months - Fairbanks Daily News-Miner

Stephen Borgna|ThisWeek group

The Worthington Architectural Review Board and Municipal Planning Commission haveapproved a permit for Lifestyle Communities to begin demolition of the 15 buildings on the former United Methodist Childrens Home siteat 1033 N. High St.

According to the permit, which was approved Feb. 11, demolition of the first structure was scheduled to begin Feb. 15, starting with a residential home at 77 Longfellow Ave. Demolition of the remaining buildings is scheduled to take place over the course of the next two to three months.

Worthington planning and building director Lee Brown said the demolition schedule would begin pending weather conditions, considering the snow and winter conditions throughout central Ohio the week of Feb. 15.

Many of the structures scheduled to be demolished were constructed in the 1950s and 1960s, the application said. One was built in 1930, and a few others were constructed in 1988.

The buildings have fallen into a state of dilapidation following the closure of UMCH's residential facilityin December2010 and in the years prior.

There are 15 buildings on this site that have not been used probably in decades and are in poor repair, Brown said.

The demolition application was specific about the conditions.

"The current conditions of the buildings range from a general state of disrepair and functional obsolescence to an acute nuisance condition in several cases, including structural deterioration, collapsing floors and ceilings, mold growth, the need for controlled asbestos abatementand elimination of possible animal infestation, the application said.

The properties are owned by Worthington Campus, an LLC for Lifestyle Communities, according to the application.

According to Trevor Arnold, who works in land development for Lifestyle Communities, the companywill have the demolition sites reseeded with grass and restored to a natural state after the demolition work is complete.

On the surface, it would be restored to a grass condition and maintained by our property-management group, Arnoldtold ARB officials at the Feb. 11 meeting.

Lifestyle Communities proposed building a 730-home development on the site in October.

The proposal calls for a mix of apartments, townhouses, single-family homes and more spanning more than 40 acres.

The proposal has been in a holding pattern after Lifestyle Communities encountered some pushback from some Worthington officials and residents over whether the proposed community fits into Worthingtons architectural style, as well as traffic, crowding and environmental implications.

The project would require the site's zoning to be changed to a planned-unit development.

The company requested no vote be taken on the rezoning measure at an ARB and MPC meeting Jan. 14 . Its application was tabled for a later date.

Michael Bates, a member of the Worthington Alliance for Responsible Developmenta 501(c)(3) community organization advocating that property development within the city corresponds with the 2005 Worthington Comprehensive Plan and WARDs guiding principles said he thinks the ARB and MPC should have explored other avenues instead of approving the demolition procedures.

Bates said he wrote a letter to the MPC asking it not to approve the demolition. He said he suggested the buildings that are deteriorating be fenced off until the future of the property is more clear or that the commissions should have been "more selective" in what buildings are demolished and that other buildings be "secured."

The buildings are clearly a problem, so I understand why the owner would want to remove the buildings, he said. But my point with the Municipal Planning Commission was there should have been some discussion around alternatives before blanket approval of just the demolition.

sborgna@thisweeknews.com

@ThisWeekSteve

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Lifestyle Communities receives permission to demolish buildings at former United Methodist Childrens Home site - ThisWeek Community News

Work could begin this summer on the demolition of one of Rathcoole's iconic tower blocks.

The four Rathcoole tower blocks are a familiar site for many but the landmark high-rise buildings are set to be consigned to the history books.

As part of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's Tower Blocks Action Plan, it is proposed that Monkscoole House and Abbotscoole House will both be demolished in the next five years.

They currently propose to retain Carncoole House and Glencoole House for a period of at least 10 years, and undertake associated improvement works.

Earlier this week, the tender for the demolition of Monkscoole House, which has been empty since late 2019, was advertised.

In a statement, the Housing Executive set out its timetable for the building's demolition. Once the contract is awarded, it is hoped work will begin on the site this summer and work will take around one year.

At the moment there is no timetable for the demolition of Abbotscoole House. Once it is demolished, the Housing Executive plans to build 50 social homes on the site of the two demolished tower blocks.

A spokesperson for the Housing Executive said: " The tender for the demolition of Monkscoole House was advertised on 17February 2021 and the last date for submissions is 18March 2021.

"Subject to the receipt of suitable tenders, we hope to award the contract in early May with work starting on site over the summer months. It is anticipated that it will take approximately 12 months to complete the demolition works.

"At present our proposal as set out in our Tower Blocks Action Plan approved by the Board of the Housing Executive and the Department for Communities is that Abbotscoole House would also be demolished and that 50 brand new social homes would be built on the combined cleared site of the two blocks. The current policy is that any new social housing is built by a registered housing association."

Residents were consulted on proposals for the tower blocks in 2018, but there is anger in the local area about the plans and many residents have been opposed to the demolition of the tower blocks.

Alliance councillor Billy Webb told Belfast Live there was a "lack of appreciation in the Housing Executive that this is not units of housing, it's people's homes".

"There was a public meeting held and residents of the mutli-stories were there and they were quite angry that their feelings of wanting to stay had not been taken into account," he said.

"It is going to cost a considerable amount of money to demolish a block, that money could have been put into upgrades. The people who have lived there for years could stay.

"There were people who had bought their flats in the multi-stories. One lady, she was not there that long, three years, but it was somewhere to retire to and was being faced with losing her home and it has a devastating effect on people."

The Housing Executive's Action Plan for its Tower Blocks Portfolio, has been developed on the premise that the Housing Executives aim remains the decommissioning of all of the 32 tower blocks.

The plan states: "The tower blocks represent a considerable ongoing financial liability for the Housing Executive - against a context of a significant projected shortfall in the funding that will be required for investment in the Housing Executives total housing stock - and in many cases are not meeting individuals and communities housing needs.

But UUP councillor Robert Foster said it was not too late for the Housing Executive to change its mind and instead use the money it would cost to demolish the block and instead renovate it.

He said the community were "up in arms" and he said the Housing Executive's decision was "short-sighted".

"People feel safe there," he said.

"There's no one banging down my door saying they want them gone."

Councillor Foster said numbers on the housing waiting list are rising with around 500 on the list in the Newtownabbey One district at present.

He added: "It is a landmark, people do identify with them coming in by boat or plane. They are Rathcoole's version of the cranes. The community has a lot of concern about it."

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Rathcoole tower block demolition work could begin this summer - Belfast Live