Kaaaabbblloooowie!!!!!

[Co Pilot]

The Pacific Trade Center, the community's first skyscraper, will be imploded Sunday to make way for a 16-story condominium tower.
By Donna Littlejohn
Daily Breeze

The sad hulk of a building that began with great fanfare as San Pedro's first skyscraper but ended up an embarrassing reminder of blight and failure for 16 years is finally coming down.

Depending on wind conditions, at about 6 a.m. Sunday crews from El Monte-based American Wrecking will trigger a series of blasts to implode the old Logicon building at 255 W. Fifth St. It will clear the way for construction of a $175 million, 16-story glass condominium tower called The Vue.

Specific plans for the implosion, however, have been sketchy and hard to come by this past week, with some area businesses expressing frustration.

"What happens if our building has damage?" asked Tom Higgins, an agent for Modern Insurance just one block west of the building. Higgins learned about the implosion only two days ago when a flier was left at his office.

Los Angeles Fire Assistant Chief Lou Roupoli said implosions are delicate operations but are conducted by experts familiar with the process.

"This is something that takes place regularly with companies that specialize in this," he said.

Developers are discouraging spectators, saying there is no safe place from which to view the implosion of the Pacific Trade Center building. Cleanup afterward will be the responsibility of the demolition company.

Sunday's implosion will be the first in 12 years for the city of Los Angeles. The Vue condominiums that will replace it are slated to be completed in 2008.

Approximately 5 pounds of explosives will be strategically placed within the building. When discharged, the explosives will allow gravity to pull the structure down in a controlled manner.

The process will take only a few seconds but the sound may reverberate throughout a wide radius -- it is anticipated to be less than 120 decibels, similar to the sound of a gun and not as loud as fireworks.

People living in San Pedro may "hear a loud boom, followed by the sound of cracking metal, followed by a rumble," warned port Executive Director Geraldine Knatz at this week's harbor commission meeting. "Don't call the police."

In the months leading up to the implosion, demolition crews have painstakingly stripped the building, including removal of all its asbestos, so that only its steel frame and concrete utility columns remain.

Initially, developers of The Vue were thinking of staging a more public event, inviting new condominium buyers to witness the dramatic take-down.

Safety concerns, however, overrode that idea.

Because of the dust and debris kicked up by implosions, spectators will not be allowed beyond a wide perimeter. Barriers will be set up to keep people at a safe distance.

The best place to watch, said Vincent Aviani of The Vue project, is "on television," noting that a number of television stations will record the event. A video also will be available later Sunday morning at www.dailybreeze.com.

But the lure will be too strong for some of those wanting to see the spectacular collapse firsthand.

"I've seen them on TV when they've imploded the old Vegas casinos and I thought it looked cool," said Craig Shaffer, a computer technician who lives three blocks from the site and hopes to witness the event in person. "I just want to see how they do it, take some pictures."

San Pedro developer Alan Johnson, whose office is in the building next door to the Pacific Trade Center, said he also plans to attend.

"Several of us plan to go down there and view its destruction," he said. "I'm glad that one's going to be gone."

Tenants at another nearby office building on Fifth Street have been strategizing about where the best vantage points will be, said Herb Zimmer, owner of Priority One Printing.

"Everyone wants to have a view point," he said. "There's a lot of interest in it. I want to see it, even if it is at 6 o'clock in the morning."

Several streets will be closed to traffic and pedestrians from midnight Saturday until noon Sunday. Buildings in the immediate vicinity also will need to be evacuated.

Going against the tide, State Farm Insurance agent Wayne Bettis, who was 30 years old when the trade center was built, says he'll be content to sleep in and skip seeing the big event live.

"Even if they gave me a ringside seat I wouldn't go see it come down," he said. "Let's just let it go."

[surveyboy]

5 pounds of explosives to take down the building??? shit, more than that's been used on the lakebed

[Co Pilot]

my office is 2 blocks over on 7th st... demolition crews have already taken it down to the bares bones.


lemme go outside and snappy a pic BRB.

[UZI 9mm]

Originally Posted by Co Pilot

my office is 2 blocks over on 7th st... demolition crews have already taken it down to the bares bones.


lemme go outside and snappy a pic BRB.

ok you *just* saved yerself from the: Useless/no pics snark attack

[Roksamy]

Originally Posted by UZI 9mm

ok you *just* saved yerself from the: Useless/no pics snark attack

my cursor was hovering over the " " too

no snark attack

[Chum731]

The remaining portion of the old Pacific Trade Center, after asbestos abatement, before its controlled implosion on August 6th. A condo tower called The Vue is going to be built in its place.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lifeontheedge/192644512/

[Co Pilot]

Bite me boys!!!


I think Eric and I will be here Sunday to watch it. Then I can update this thread with some good KABOOM! pics!!
We'll have a prime view & parking that the average lookey loo's headed this way wont have.

[Roxywheels]

Originally Posted by Co Pilot

my office is 2 blocks over on 7th st... demolition crews have already taken it down to the bares bones.


lemme go outside and snappy a pic BRB.

<waiting> I hope she didn't fall off her flip flops in her hast

edit: nevermind...she made it back safely

[Co Pilot]

Originally Posted by Roxywheels

<waiting> I hope she didn't fall off her flip flops in her hast

edit: nevermind...she made it back safely

you can bite me too bitch!!

[Roxywheels]

Originally Posted by Co Pilot

you can bite me too bitch!!

I love you, Rose Anderson

[brector]

You all cut that shit out - it's getting hot in here

[Screwzer2]

Originally Posted by Co Pilot

[size="4"]"What happens if our building has damage?" asked Tom Higgins, an agent for Modern Insurance just one block west of the building. Higgins learned about the implosion only two days ago when a flier was left at his office.

Don't buy insurance from Tom Higgins, he's clueless about what his policies cover, and is a whinney scaredy cat. Just the kinda agent you need in a crisis

[Co Pilot]

Originally Posted by Roxywheels

<waiting> I hope she didn't fall off her flip flops in her hast

BTW... how did you know I was wearing flip flops today??

[Roxywheels]

Originally Posted by Co Pilot

BTW... how did you know I was wearing flip flops today??

Cause I'm wearing them too

[Roksamy]

...and thought this was gonna be a shart story

[Co Pilot]

Originally Posted by Roksamy

...and thought this was gonna be a shart story

I'm a girl.. although I enjoy reading the shart stories you boys post up.. I wouldn't post one myself

[beerisgood]

I had an upclose view for the vet coming down, implosions are fun.

[Kim~]

Originally Posted by Co Pilot

I'm a girl.. although I enjoy reading the shart stories you boys post up.. I wouldn't post one myself

I told them it was a boy thing....

[Roxywheels]

We were at the store last night and I was looking at article of clothing(I can't recall what it was because I usually touch everything in the store ) and there was a tiny little brown spot on it that Robert pointed out and I said *ewwww...Priest sharted on it*

[beerisgood]

Originally Posted by Roxywheels

We were at the store last night and I was looking at article of clothing(I can't recall what it was because I usually touch everything in the store ) and there was a tiny little brown spot on it that Robert pointed out and I said *ewwww...Priest sharted on it*

omfg, thats freaking hilarious