Intel Building Turns to Rubble

The Intel shell was imploded this morning, with over a thousand spectators looking on as half a ton of dynamite was detonated, bringing down the downtown eyesore in just over ten seconds.

For more video footage, check out the Statesman's clip above.

Screen capture taken from Statesman video

Contact the author of this article or email tips@austinist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Allen Y Chen in Other on February 25, 2007 11:41 AM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

pd

The reason the outside sections of the shell stayed standing is because there was no roof. Usually, with implosions like these the roof is responsible for bringing the entire building (especially the exterior walls) to the ground.

...at least that's what News8 said during their oversaturated coverage yesterday.

mdahmus

Anon,

The problem is that nobody said beforehand that they planned on leaving the sides up, but leaning in. It smacks of "oh yeah, I MEANT to do that" to me.

Anon

I can think of a few very good reasons as to why the exterior of the skeleton would have been left to not fall in on the rest of the debris. I'm guessing it went as planned. But then again, you're the demo expert.

lunarhowl

Someone should post a picture of the imploded Intel shell with Bush's "Mission Accomplished" banner across it. The implosion was clearly botched -- not "as planned," as the contractor's spokesperson claimed with a straight face looking into the TV cameras. (Yeah, right.)

M1EK

"Watson’s City of Austin Prop 1, of the year 2000, diverted a whopping $67.2 million of our bond dollars, intended for free roads, into toll roads."

That's a lie. The 67.2 million was always intended to be spent on SH45, SH130, and Loop 1 North, and the thinking at the time was that at least 2 out of the 3, and maybe all 3, were going to be tollways.

Sal Costello

REMEMBER: INTEL SHELL WAS WATSON’S BACK DOOR DEAL

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson’s (now Sen. Kirk Watson) back door deal with Intel cost city taxpayers $7.5 million in subsidies after they left us with the “Intel shell” eye sore (That deal should be a reminder of how Watson’s deals with special interests always costs the citizens more).

Watson’s City of Austin Prop 1, of the year 2000, diverted a whopping $67.2 million of our bond dollars, intended for free roads, into toll roads.

And, today tricky Sen. Watson is pushing Managed Lanes, a fancy way to say toll roads without using the “T” word.

If you want evidence of the $67.2 million diversion email me for the City of Austin document at sal@texastollparty.com