Slow demolition of 'Round Building' mars new arts center

When theater fans arrive at the new Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts to see "The Phantom of the Opera" tonight, they'll likely marvel at the gleaming, $514 million building's beauty.

But the beauty has a blemish that city officials didn't count on: the skeletal remains of the "Round Building," which should have been torn down by now. Instead, the half-demolished building is still there, as welcome as a skunk at a wedding.

There are several reasons the demolition is behind schedule, including the firing of the supervisor in charge of the job site after it was revealed he'd been shooting an assault rifle inside the building.

Regardless, everyone is tired of the gutted building marring the postcard-perfect view of the arts center as it did during the long-awaited ribbon-cutting last month, the celebratory outdoor Sheryl Crow concert that followed, the community open houses, and now through the first Broadway tour.

"I don't know if 'frustrated' is the word, but I'll be happy when it's down," Mayor Buddy Dyer said.

The city has the authority to levy $500 a day in fines against the contractor, Lakeland-based Crusader Demolition, though that decision hasn't been made.

The work was running behind even before it started. Though the City Council selected Crusader Demolition for the job in June, they didn't sign a contract until Aug. 4.

Even then, the work couldn't start immediately because the Dr. Phillips Center's staff had its offices in the otherwise vacant Round Building. City inspectors hadn't issued a certificate of occupancy for the arts center, and the workers couldn't move out until that happened.

The contractor started working in early September. The building couldn't be imploded, and picking it apart with heavy equipment and torches was even more slow going because of its history.

The two-story American Federal Building was built in 1963, an example of midcentury-modern architecture. Five additional floors were later added, bringing it to seven stories and 70,000 square feet.

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Slow demolition of 'Round Building' mars new arts center