Demolition begins at Veterans Memorial

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While some in Columbus were just waking up this morning, a piece of the citys history was coming down.

Crews began the first public stage of demolition at Franklin County Veterans Memorial today, starting work that should leave the site bare by the end of March.

A 100-ton excavator began tearing into the northern-most end of the building just before 9 a.m.

Crews from S.G. Loewendick & Sons excavation contractors, of Grove City, began even earlier, cutting steel beams with torches to make the machines job easier.

Resembling something like the jaws of a steel dinosaur, the excavators hydraulic shear bit into the wall of the building, easily separating concrete and steel as it began to munch away at the north exhibition hall of Veterans.

The demolition is expected to cost just under $900,000 and be wrapped up by March 31. The county will then turn the site over to the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation, which plans to build a $55 million Ohio Veterans Memorial and Museum in its place.

James Goodenow, director of the countys public facilities management agency, said this morning that the demolition of Veterans is bittersweet.

Goodenow, who used to be general manager there, said the site holds many great memories for Columbus residents.

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Demolition begins at Veterans Memorial