Questions are being raised about demolition applications filed with the city of New Orleans as part of the plan to tear down the partially collapsed Hard Rock construction site. The 18-story structure, which still holds two bodies of the three construction workers killed in the collapse, has had an uncertain future since it caved in Oct. 12. The city announced recently that the site cannot be safely imploded and must be demolished piece by piece. Mayor LaToya Cantrell said engineers want to bring in large cranes to pluck apart the debris and recover the bodies. She said the heavy equipment needs clear lines of sight to safely operate, which is why three buildings near the Hard Rock could be demolished.The Hard Rock site sits on the corner of Rampart and Canal Streets, with no buildings on the street-facing sides.We have our people that need to get out of that building, Cantrell said Monday. Public safety has always led us. It will continue to, but as it relates to the adjacent buildings, I would say Im absolutely in favor of the demolition should it come down to a line of sight making it safer to deal with the demolition of the Hard Rock.1031 Canal Development owns the Hard Rock site and the three buildings that could also be torn down, located at 1019 and 1027 Canal St. and 1022 Iberville St. New Orleans City Council member Kristen Gisleson Palmer said she has not been briefed on the newly filed permits but the interest of the owners is concerning.We need to do our due diligence, because basically it could become a much larger development and I think you have to be thoughtful about that, Palmer said. We have to make sure that this isnt a potential land grab.An attorney for 1031 Canal Development, Steven Dwyer, said the owners only objective is public safety. In a statement to WDSU, Dwyer said: The plan for demolition is not being developed by the owner. It is being developed by professional engineers who are working for the owner and who are working for the city. The professionals are developing from a scientific point of view the safest method for demolition. The owners are in no way influencing the work of the engineers. They are following the professional opinion of the engineers to develop the safest possible plan.WDSU requested copies of the demolition permit applications from the city of New Orleans on Monday. The city cited the recent cyberattack on city government, which has left the permitting office offline, for denying that public records request.

Questions are being raised about demolition applications filed with the city of New Orleans as part of the plan to tear down the partially collapsed Hard Rock construction site. The 18-story structure, which still holds two bodies of the three construction workers killed in the collapse, has had an uncertain future since it caved in Oct. 12. The city announced recently that the site cannot be safely imploded and must be demolished piece by piece.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell said engineers want to bring in large cranes to pluck apart the debris and recover the bodies. She said the heavy equipment needs clear lines of sight to safely operate, which is why three buildings near the Hard Rock could be demolished.

The Hard Rock site sits on the corner of Rampart and Canal Streets, with no buildings on the street-facing sides.

We have our people that need to get out of that building, Cantrell said Monday. Public safety has always led us. It will continue to, but as it relates to the adjacent buildings, I would say Im absolutely in favor of the demolition should it come down to a line of sight making it safer to deal with the demolition of the Hard Rock.

1031 Canal Development owns the Hard Rock site and the three buildings that could also be torn down, located at 1019 and 1027 Canal St. and 1022 Iberville St. New Orleans City Council member Kristen Gisleson Palmer said she has not been briefed on the newly filed permits but the interest of the owners is concerning.

We need to do our due diligence, because basically it could become a much larger development and I think you have to be thoughtful about that, Palmer said. We have to make sure that this isnt a potential land grab.

An attorney for 1031 Canal Development, Steven Dwyer, said the owners only objective is public safety. In a statement to WDSU, Dwyer said: The plan for demolition is not being developed by the owner. It is being developed by professional engineers who are working for the owner and who are working for the city. The professionals are developing from a scientific point of view the safest method for demolition. The owners are in no way influencing the work of the engineers. They are following the professional opinion of the engineers to develop the safest possible plan.

WDSU requested copies of the demolition permit applications from the city of New Orleans on Monday. The city cited the recent cyberattack on city government, which has left the permitting office offline, for denying that public records request.

Read more:
Owners of collapsed Hard Rock site want to demolish three of their other buildings nearby - WDSU New Orleans

history, archival-revival, earthquake, newcastle earthquake, newcastle herald, 1989, kirkwood, quake

IT wasn't always an intentional battle, but within hours of the quake a pendulum began swinging between the competing interests of demolition and heritage. The first casualty was the multi-storey Newcastle RSL on the corner of King Street and Perkins Street, its walls knocked in by a pair of crane jibs that afternoon. Its roof had caved in and engineers quickly declared it unsafe, but the speed with which it disappeared helped spark fears that the tremor would become a developers' dream to remodel the ageing city centre. Fashion designer Lindsay Otto - mother of actress Miranda - had shops on the ground floor. She said that even with the problematic upper floors gone, and the ground floor intact, she was refused entry and lost $60,000 in stock, bulldozed into rubble. But it was the George Hotel opposite Newcastle railway station - now the site of the Metro apartment block - that really got temperatures rising. Days after the quake, Newcastle council ordered it and the adjacent Carrington Chambers in Watt Street demolished. Lord mayor John McNaughton was in the Herald saying an aftershock could "happen like that" - clicking his fingers - and "those two buildings will tumble to the street". Conservationists including the National Trust disagreed. Their engineers said the buildings could be saved. Peter Evans, then chairman of the City Centre Committee and an owner of the George and its Scott Street neighbour Royal Court, was adamant they needed to come down. Still active in public life and president of the Newcastle show association, Evans is now fighting his own heritage battle over historic Broadmeadow showgrounds buildings threatened by redevelopment. Today Evans says he "likes old buildings" but that the demolitions were "necessary". He says he had just spent $100,000 on the George, including fire protection, and would go on to repair another quake-damaged building - a Menkens-designed Masonic temple in Beaumont Street that is now the Depot restaurant. Demolition of the George continued despite a Land and Environment Court injunction obtained by Maitland conservationist Dion Ackland and delivered by his solicitor, Richard Anicich - another still playing a leading role in public life, most recently as chairman of the Committee for the Hunter. Work stopped for a while on the Sunday morning, but the wrecking ball had moved from the George to the Carrington, leaving both buildings with major damage to their exteriors. Ackland, realising it was too late, withdrew the injunction and demolition resumed in front of a crowd of onlookers and protesters. In many ways, the earthquake acted as a turning point for heritage in Newcastle. While the city lost some prominent buildings that might have been saved with money and willpower, the debate brought a new focus on the city's remaining 19th century streetscapes. Leading activists included the indomitable Margaret Henry, who formed the Citizens Earthquake Action Group, and Keith Parsons, chair of the National Trust's Hunter committee. Today, Iris Capital's East End project retains its historic Hunter Street mall facades, an example of a once-reluctant city valuing its heritage.

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December 28 2019 - 8:00AM

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IT wasn't always an intentional battle, but within hours of the quake a pendulum began swinging between the competing interests of demolition and heritage.

The first casualty was the multi-storey Newcastle RSL on the corner of King Street and Perkins Street, its walls knocked in by a pair of crane jibs that afternoon.

Its roof had caved in and engineers quickly declared it unsafe, but the speed with which it disappeared helped spark fears that the tremor would become a developers' dream to remodel the ageing city centre.

Fashion designer Lindsay Otto - mother of actress Miranda - had shops on the ground floor. She said that even with the problematic upper floors gone, and the ground floor intact, she was refused entry and lost $60,000 in stock, bulldozed into rubble.

But it was the George Hotel opposite Newcastle railway station - now the site of the Metro apartment block - that really got temperatures rising.

Days after the quake, Newcastle council ordered it and the adjacent Carrington Chambers in Watt Street demolished.

Lord mayor John McNaughton was in the Herald saying an aftershock could "happen like that" - clicking his fingers - and "those two buildings will tumble to the street".

Conservationists including the National Trust disagreed. Their engineers said the buildings could be saved.

Peter Evans, then chairman of the City Centre Committee and an owner of the George and its Scott Street neighbour Royal Court, was adamant they needed to come down.

Still active in public life and president of the Newcastle show association, Evans is now fighting his own heritage battle over historic Broadmeadow showgrounds buildings threatened by redevelopment.

DAMAGED INSIDE BUT INTACT: The George Hotel and Carrington Chambers, after the quake but before their demolition began on the weekend of January 6 and 7.

Today Evans says he "likes old buildings" but that the demolitions were "necessary".

He says he had just spent $100,000 on the George, including fire protection, and would go on to repair another quake-damaged building - a Menkens-designed Masonic temple in Beaumont Street that is now the Depot restaurant.

Demolition of the George continued despite a Land and Environment Court injunction obtained by Maitland conservationist Dion Ackland and delivered by his solicitor, Richard Anicich - another still playing a leading role in public life, most recently as chairman of the Committee for the Hunter.

Work stopped for a while on the Sunday morning, but the wrecking ball had moved from the George to the Carrington, leaving both buildings with major damage to their exteriors.

NOT QUITE RIGHT: This Australian Financial Review article from August 1, 1991, shows how quickly the narrative changed. The George Hotel, as we have reminded people this week, was smashed to pieces by demolition, not the earthquake.

Ackland, realising it was too late, withdrew the injunction and demolition resumed in front of a crowd of onlookers and protesters.

In many ways, the earthquake acted as a turning point for heritage in Newcastle.

While the city lost some prominent buildings that might have been saved with money and willpower, the debate brought a new focus on the city's remaining 19th century streetscapes.

Leading activists included the indomitable Margaret Henry, who formed the Citizens Earthquake Action Group, and Keith Parsons, chair of the National Trust's Hunter committee.

Today, Iris Capital's East End project retains its historic Hunter Street mall facades, an example of a once-reluctant city valuing its heritage.

Protesters in front of the site of the demolished George and Carrington buildings, with Newcastle railway station in the background. Picture: David Wicks

Read more:
Newcastle Earthquake 30 years later, Part VI: Opposing forces of demolition and preservation - Newcastle Herald

WELLSBURG At Tuesdays Brooke County Commission meeting, the curator of the Brooke County Museum voiced the museum boards displeasure in the demolition of the former Millers Tavern.

Ruby Greathouse told the commission the museum board has received numerous calls and complaints about the buildings removal at the corner of Main and Sixth streets and members want to make clear they had opposed the demolition.

Theyre distressed by whats occurred, Greathouse said.

As she spoke, crews were poised to remove its remaining supports, including steel beams added in later years.

Greathouse noted the two-story building was named a National Historic Landmark in 1978 before being named, among hundreds of other structures in the citys downtown business section, part of a National Historic District in 1982.

Built in 1797 at the corner of Main and Sixth streets, its said to have offered food and lodging to visitors sailing to and from Wellsburg on the nearby Ohio River, some traveling as far as New Orleans.

In the 1930s it became the Wellsburg Eagles Lodge and in 1973 it became home to the countys museum until 2012, when the museum was moved to 704 Charles St. because it offered more space.

The commissioners said the building played a role in the citys history but hadnt been preserved in its original state and couldnt be used as part of the judicial annex they plan to build onto the nearby county courthouse.

Tim Ennis, the commissions president, said the buildings removal was needed to support progress, just as many structures were razed to allow the construction of state Route 2 through Wellsburg.

I think John Henderson (who built the tavern) would be amazed it was still there. If he and our countys founding fathers knew its demolition was needed for the county to advance, theyd say, take it.

Plans call for the annex to include all of the countys courts, including the magistrate court, which was moved to the third floor of the Community Bank building when the courthouses ground floor was flooded in 2004.

Since then concerns about that section of the bank building meeting state fire codes and handicap accessibility have spurred a desire to relocate it again.

Last week the commissioners announced plans to return the magistrate court to the courthouse while they seek a loan for the project, which has been estimated at $5 million to $7 million.

Greathouse noted an official with the state Division of Culture and History warned the commission in 2016 that razing the building could prevent them from securing federal money for the addition under the National Historic Preservation Act.

Ennis said he didnt know if that is true. He said the demolition itself was funded with county money.

Ennis said the job went to Stash Trucking of Uniontown, Pa., which submitted a bid of $37,000, significantly lower than the other bids because the contractor knew the value of the sandstone blocks of the buildings foundation and original wood inside.

The contractor gets everything (from the razed building), he said.

Ennis said no artifacts belonging to the museum were taken, and Greathouse confirmed the building was no longer being used for storage when the demolition occurred.

Greathouse expressed disappointment the commissioners didnt retain some of the original material for display or use in the addition, noting such a move was suggested by the state Division of Culture and History.

After talking to Greathouse following the meeting, county Commissioner Stacey Wise said she asked if the museum board will provide information and photos for an area of the annex depicting the buildings use and development.

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Link:
Demolition of historic building in Wellsburg is opposed - The Daily Times

The Boston home where late mobster James Whitey Bulger and his gang buried three of their victims may be torn down to make way for a new residential development.

The Boston Globe reported Tuesday that the Boston Landmarks Commission recently received an application to demolish the 1,975-square-foot (180-square-meter) two-story South Boston home to make way for a new four-unit townhouse style development with eight garaged parking spots.

The previous asking price of $3.5 million was lowered to $3,395,000, and the property is currently under agreement, according to Redfin.com.

The home, which Bulger called "The Haunty, was once owned by the brother of a Bulger associate.

During Bulger's racketeering trial, a witness said he saw Bulger kill three people in the house. Their bodies were buried in the basement, which had a dirt floor at the time. In 1985, when the house was about to be sold, the bodies were exhumed and reburied elsewhere.

Bulger was convicted in 2013 for his role in the deaths of 11 people, including the three buried in the house. He was killed in a federal prison last October at age 89.

The Boston Landmarks Commission has 10 calendar days to review applications to demolish properties to determine whether they have historic significance."

Related:

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South Boston house where Whitey Bulger buried 3 victims faces demolition, 4-unit townhouse going up in its pl - MassLive.com

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (WXYZ) The former home of the Detroit Pistons is in the process of being torn down.

The Palace of Auburn Hills will be torn down to make way for corporate redevelopment.

Residents say it's bittersweet. The palace held a special place in the hearts of people who watched the Pistons play there, along with other special events.

"It is sad," said Dennis Haines from Shelby Township. "I took my son there to see the Globe Trotters once. A lot of memories of firsts for him. It is sad."

The city manager of Auburn Hills says taking down the lettering on the outside of the building is the start of a six-month demolition process.

The first phase, which is already underway, also includes removing items inside of the building, like sets.

In January, the building itself is expected to come down, although developers have not yet applied for a demolition permit.

March is expected to mark phase three, which includes taking down steel framing and concert walls. Once that is completed, phase four, which will occur sometimes in spring 2020, will fill in the excavated hole.

There are plans to turn the space into offices for research and technology. However, there is no timeline yet on when the rebuild will be happening.

Originally posted here:
News The Palace of Auburn Hills: What to know about demolition plans 11:11 AM, Dec - WXYZ

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (localmemphis.com) Local 24 News political analyst and commentator Otis Sanfordshares his point of view on the Union Row development.

If youre driving along Union Avenue these days, allthat noise youre hearing is the sound of progress. Demolition equipment isbusy bringing down one vacant structure after another from Fourth Street toDanny Thomas Boulevard and possibly beyond.

The coming attraction to replace all that blight isUnion Row a $1.1 billion development consisting of plenty of retail andoffice space, hundreds of hotel rooms, and at least one and possibly twogrocery stores.

Public incentives to the tune of some $185 million havebeen approved to make the Union Row development a reality. And it appears to befull speed ahead for all of the government entities to sign off on the project.

Weve been talking about this development for severalmonths, and the key movers and shakers behind the project have been thoroughlyvetted by the Institute for Public Service Reporting at the University ofMemphis. While some of them have been involved in numerous legal disputes,nothing has been uncovered so far that says Union Row is pie in the sky.

It is instead potentially a game changer for economicdevelopment not just downtown, but across Memphis. So is the other massive development plannedfor the Pinch District.

Obviously, none it of means a cure for poverty orother ills plaguing the city. But that sound of demolition on Union is a sweetsound indeed. And thats my point of view.

Continue reading here:
The sound of demolition on Union is a sweet sound, says Otis Sanford - WATN - Local 24

MONETT, Mo. Founded in 1887 the town of Monett, like many communities, was built along the railroad tracks.

But right next to those tracks just happens to be Kelly Creek, a waterway that's played just as big a part in the town's history as the railroad industry.

The Kelly Creek channel runs parallel to downtown's main street, Broadway, and is a block to the south of the business district between the stores and the railroad tracks.

The creek is surrounded by masonry walls but during heavy rains it overflows its banks and over the years has made its way into those businesses, mainly between Third and Sixth streets, causing millions of dollars in damage.

In 2016 for instance the creek rose three feet in just 45 minutes, leaving six feet of water along Broadway.

It's been a problem for as long as folks here can remember.

"When we do have a flood it's a typical flash flood," explained Monett city administrator Dennis Pyle. "It comes very quickly and recedes very quickly."

"It's not a very pleasant experience," adds Bernice Morris, the owner of Fashion Crossroads in downtown Monett for 50 years. For half a century she's seen a lot of floods come and go and get as high as eight inches along her walls.

She wouldn't mind seeing something done about it.

"If you didn't have to worry about sandbagging or receiving a call at night that the water's rising that would be a wonderful thing," she said.

Well now there's hope for at least a partial solution.

After 10 years and four attempts at getting federal funds, Monett will start taking bids on December 17th to demolish four structures in the flood-plain area and turn it into green space. The areas include the city's own public works building, an old VFW and hotel building, an agri-center, and perhaps most importantly, a trailer park.

"What we look at first is trying to save people's lives," said Bonnie Witt-Schulte, the director of the Monett-Lawrence County Emergency Management Office. "Those trailers will no longer be there and we won't have that risk."

There have been fatalities over the years, and while the half-million dollar green space, located next to an already existing pavilion and park, won't solve all the flooding problems there is a consensus that it will help.

"We're still going to see that flooding but we'll see less of an impact to people's lives and property," Witt-Schulte said.

"Without those buildings being there we believe the flooding will not be as severe as it has been in the past," Pyle added.

The city did consider other options such as re-routing Kelly Creek.

"That was very expensive. Well over six million dollars," Pyle said.

Mother nature has already started part of the demolition work as the old Frisco hotel and VFW building has been falling apart due to storm damage. The latest collapse came last week and fencing has been put up around the structure to keep people and cars out of danger.

Monett is known as a resilient town as residents here have endured tornadoes and floods in the past only to rebuild and press on.

But when asked what natural disaster tends to have the biggest emotional toll on the town Witt-Schulte didn't hesitate with her answer.

"Floods tend to have more of a negative effect on people especially when it's repetitive in nature," she said. "And that's what it is for us."

The project is 75 percent funded by FEMA with the city responsible for raising the other 25 percent.

Officials say they hope to have the green space completed by August 2020.

View post:
Monett, Mo. soon will start flood-plain demolition of downtown buildings - KY3

Bob Ball, who runs H&R Salvage of Mitchell, is in the business of destroying blades, something he says hes already doing with success in Iowa, where the issue has become a hot topic with increasingly aging blades.

Ball is already leading the demolition and burying of turbine blades in Lake Mills, Iowa, working out agreements to cut up old General Electric turbine blades and putting them into a Waste Management landfill.

They dont let just any hillbilly get their blades and cut them up, he told the Davison County Planning Commission. Im the most successful of anyone they know for chopping them up.

On Tuesday, the Davison County Planning Commission approved H&R Salvage to expand its existing operation to dismantle wind turbine blades. Final approval will be considered by the Davison County Commissioners on Dec. 10. The county does not have to rule on the landfill decisions.

Meeting with the Davison County Commission earlier on Tuesday, Mitchell Public Works Director Kyle Croce and Street and Sanitation Superintendent Kevin Roth said theyve been approached by H&R Salvage to put up to 700 tons of old wind turbine blades from Wessington Springs into its landfill.

Those blades would be cut down to 50-foot pieces and eventually down to 3-by-7-foot sections and would be placed in a ravine at Mitchells Old Landfill, which is located at 2801 E. Havens St. (Mitchells current 160-acre landfill, located southeast of the city on 257th Street, would not be taking wind turbine pieces, the city officials said.)

Those turbine pieces are made of non-toxic fiberglass and essentially dont decay or disintegrate over time. Its that potential white elephant factor that makes them a burden when theyre no longer usable for wind turbines, drawing the concern of Davison County Commission Chairwoman Brenda Bode.

Youre burying something that will never go away, Bode said. This is taking up land, making a footprint that is never going to be used. We need to do some due diligence.

Currently, Mitchell takes commercial trash and garbage, rubble and building debris for $36 per ton. Croce and Roth said they would consider a fee of $65 per ton for commercial waste outside of the landfills general five-county service area.

NextEra Energy owns the Wessington Springs Wind Energy Center, which has 34 turbines and has been in commercial operation since 2009. Earlier this year, NextEra began work to replace the previous 77-meter blades with longer, 91-meter blades, which can capture more wind energy and convert it to electricity with more efficiency. Blades usually weigh between 14 and 19 tons.

Croce said the city has not yet made any commitments to take the blade pieces, and said they want to have the plans approved by Davison County. Roth also said the city is changing the permitting on its old landfill to allow for up to 5,000 tons of garbage in a year, starting on Jan. 1. Currently, the landfill is permitted for 500 tons.

Thats why were considering the higher fee, Croce said. We want to deter haulers from coming in and using our landfill. We want them to be using the landfills in their contracted area.

Bode said that neither the city nor the county has the money for another landfill, so the decisions on how much material Mitchell is willing to take needs to be weighed carefully.

Is it worth filling it up with wind turbines? Everyone wants someone else to take their garbage, she said.

Commissioner John Claggett alluded that wind energy companies have been shopping around to various municipalities and counties to find places to take their old blades. Sioux Falls, for example, stopped allowing turbines to be dumped at the citys landfill, but only after two Iowa wind farms dumped more than 100 turbine blades, each measuring more than 120 feet long, the Argus Leader reported.

Ball said the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources generally wont let landfills take out-of-state turbines. He said he will only take 12 blades per day at its salvage location just west of Mitchell, because thats as much as his employees can get through in a days work. In Iowa, they are buried in a large pit, Ball said, and thousands of blades have been broken down to the point past recognition.

Its a lengthy process but once its done, its done, said Ball. These blades are going to have to go somewhere for a long time.

Read the original:
City, county prepare to allow wind turbine demolition business - The Daily Republic

Detroit Starting Friday, Interstate 75 will temporarily closein both directions for a weekend demolition of three road bridges, officials said.

The Bridging North America projectwill close I-75 from Springwells to Clark streets while crews begin work on the Michigan interchange for the Gordie Howe International Bridge Project. The project will require demolition on bridges at Springwells, Livernois and Clark.

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Work will start at 11 p.m. Friday;lanes will re-open by 5 a.m. on Monday, officials said.

The following bridges will remain open to winter 2020 before work commences: Green Street, Waterman Street, Dragoon Street, Junction Avenue and West Grand Boulevard, officials said.

Local traffic can to exit northbound I-75 at Springwells and enter northbound I-75 at Clark. Southbound I-75 traffic can exit at Clark and enter southbound I-75 at Springwells.

West Fisher Service Drives between Springwells and Clark, on both sides of the interstate, will remain open.

Traffic traveling toward Detroit from Toledo on I-75 will be directed to I-275 north to Interstate 96, then I-96 east to reconnect with northbound I-75.

Traffic traveling to Toledo from Auburn Hills on I-75 will be directed to take I-96 west to Interstate 275, then I-275 south in order to reconnect with southbound I-75.

Traffic exiting the Ambassador Bridge toll plaza and traveling to Toledo will be directed to take I-96 west to I-275 south in order to connect with southbound I-75.

srahal@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @SarahRahal_

Read or Share this story: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2019/12/04/i-75-close-southwest-detroit-bridge-demolitions-weekend/2613739001/

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I-75 to close in southwest Detroit for bridge demolitions this weekend - The Detroit News

A time capsule will be uncovered underneath the Communications Center when the UI begins demolition in 2020.

The Communication Center is seen on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. The Center is the former location of the UI School of Journalism and The Daily Iowan newsroom. The Board of Regents have voted to raze the building.

Katie Goodale

The Communication Center is seen on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. The Center is the former location of the UI School of Journalism and The Daily Iowan newsroom. The Board of Regents have voted to raze the building.

Katie Goodale

Katie Goodale

The Communication Center is seen on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019. The Center is the former location of the UI School of Journalism and The Daily Iowan newsroom. The Board of Regents have voted to raze the building.

Demolition of the University of Iowa Communications Center, which is more than a half-century old, will uncover a time capsule placed beneath the buildings floorboards 33 years before the capsule was supposed to be retrieved.

Built in 1953, the Communications Center formerly housed both the journalism school and The Daily Iowan. The building is slated for demolition after graduation in spring 2020, said Wendy Moorehead, strategic communications manager of UI Facilities Management, and the crew will hand off the unopened capsule to the journalism school following its recovery.

Moorehead said that construction fencing will be implemented in January, asbestos abatement on the Communications Center will occur through March, and the actual demolition of the building will begin in May. The budget for the project is $970,000, she added.

Substantial completion will occur in early August, Moorehead said. Permanent restoration of the site into a greenspace with pedestrian plaza will occur under a separate project in 2021.

RELATED: Bidding farewell to The Daily Iowans old home in the Communications Center

The DI reported in 1953 that the time capsule was slated to contain manuscripts, equipment items such as film and tape, and the script of a movie.

Former UI journalism professor Edward Mason was quoted in a 1950s DI article stating that the time capsule aimed to present an interesting and meaningful picture of the mass-media world of 1953 for the communications profession of 2053.

Not only will it provide record of today, but it will also mirror our hopes and aspirations for the future, Mason said at the time.

Longtime former DI Publisher Bill Casey said that it was time for the aging building to be torn down.

It was a great location, but in the summer it was too hot, and in the winter it was too cold, Casey said. It leaked when it rained, but great work was done out of there through the hard work at The Daily Iowan.

The center was poorly built and had temporary walls, Casey said, so the DI was moved to the Adler Journalism Building following the buildings construction in 2005.

I remember conversation about the time capsule that existed underneath the Communications Center and what was possibly in it, Casey said. There are surely old copies of the DI, but Im not sure about what else.

UI history Associate Professor Nick Yablon published a book about time capsules and their importance.

Yablon said the time capsule wouldnt technically be called a time capsule at all because of its location.

Instead, Yablon said, the object would be called a cornerstone, which requires the demolition of a building to be retrieved, while a time capsule does not. Nevertheless, he said the terms are typically interchangeable and witnesses can learn similar things from both.

We might learn about how students viewed their own present and life as a student in that year. It might contain predictions about the future, Yablon said. It would be interesting to see where our society lies compared to their predictions.

Yablon said that people criticized the production of time capsules in the 50s, and many wondered why sane people spent time and money on the object without understanding the importance of it.

We can use the past to legitimize parts of history and use memories to see how people viewed their own contributions to history, Yablon said.

Read the rest here:
A glimpse into the past: UI will uncover time capsule with Communications Center demolition - UI The Daily Iowan