Uploaded January 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
Controlled Demolition, Inc. (CDI) of Phoenix, Maryland, USA, acting as Explosives Subcontractor to Main Demolition Contractor, Cross Construction Services, Inc. (Cross) of Lutz, Florida, performs the preparation for and explosives felling of an 11-story, reinforced concrete masonry unit (CMU) supported hotel tower located in Tampa, Florida.
Similar in construction to more than a dozen reinforced CMU buildings CDI has demolished in Las Vegas over the last 30 years, controlled, sequential removal of supporting walls becomes challenging when the concrete block walls are not filled with grout in-fill that evenly distributes explosives energy. The project was further complicated by a construction joint separating two sections of the tower, creating interruption of the delay sequence and protection materials as one section fell away before the other section could be dropped by CDI.
This CMU construction, combined with the risks of interfering with high-speed traffic on Interstate 275 immediately behind the hotel, caused Cross to look for a demolition method other than the use of a high-reach excavator. The concern of their client, the Florida DOT, for the safety of motorists on I-275, became the driver in selecting the time and method of demolishing the 11-story structure.
CDI had previously worked for FDOT, most recently in the emergency felling of the Champlain Towers in Surfside, Florida and had, four years earlier, successfully imploded the Red Side Garage at the Tampa International Airport, just a few miles away, carefully coordinating that implosion with traffic flowing off I-275, into the airport. When Cross suggested that CDI implode the building to mitigate risk and shorten duration of the demolition impact on the hotels and communities surrounding the Double Tree site, FDOT approved the plan, and worked closely with a team to bring it to fruition.
The building was felled at 1:00 AM on Wednesday, December 20, 2023, during a low ebb for traffic on the adjacent Interstate. Traffic was re-opened less than 35 minutes following the implosion, well within the time allotted by FDOT for the work.
A total of over 4500 holes were drilled in the structure and 815 lb. of explosives were loaded for detonation over a 7.5 second interval to sequentially bring down the two sections of the hotel tower. The two tower sections were independently covered to prevent fly of debris so that when the first section stripped away from the second section in the implosion sequence, protective cover remained in place to ensure safety of operations.
Vibration recorded at the adjacent community was no more than that created by traffic on I-275. There was no damage to improvements to remain and the project moved forward on schedule for early delivery by Cross to FDOT.
#demolition
#hardwork
#gopro
#sony
Controlled Demolition, Inc. (CDI) of Phoenix, Maryland, USA, acting as Explosives Subcontractor to Main Demolition Contractor, Cross Construction Services, Inc. (Cross) of Lutz, Florida, performs the preparation for and explosives felling of an 11-story, reinforced concrete masonry unit (CMU) supported hotel tower located in Tampa, Florida.
Similar in construction to more than a dozen reinforced CMU buildings CDI has demolished in Las Vegas over the last 30 years, controlled, sequential removal of supporting walls becomes challenging when the concrete block walls are not filled with grout in-fill that evenly distributes explosives energy. The project was further complicated by a construction joint separating two sections of the tower, creating interruption of the delay sequence and protection materials as one section fell away before the other section could be dropped by CDI.
This CMU construction, combined with the risks of interfering with high-speed traffic on Interstate 275 immediately behind the hotel, caused Cross to look for a demolition method other than the use of a high-reach excavator. The concern of their client, the Florida DOT, for the safety of motorists on I-275, became the driver in selecting the time and method of demolishing the 11-story structure.
CDI had previously worked for FDOT, most recently in the emergency felling of the Champlain Towers in Surfside, Florida and had, four years earlier, successfully imploded the Red Side Garage at the Tampa International Airport, just a few miles away, carefully coordinating that implosion with traffic flowing off I-275, into the airport. When Cross suggested that CDI implode the building to mitigate risk and shorten duration of the demolition impact on the hotels and communities surrounding the Double Tree site, FDOT approved the plan, and worked closely with a team to bring it to fruition.
The building was felled at 1:00 AM on Wednesday, December 20, 2023, during a low ebb for traffic on the adjacent Interstate. Traffic was re-opened less than 35 minutes following the implosion, well within the time allotted by FDOT for the work.
A total of over 4500 holes were drilled in the structure and 815 lb. of explosives were loaded for detonation over a 7.5 second interval to sequentially bring down the two sections of the hotel tower. The two tower sections were independently covered to prevent fly of debris so that when the first section stripped away from the second section in the implosion sequence, protective cover remained in place to ensure safety of operations.
Vibration recorded at the adjacent community was no more than that created by traffic on I-275. There was no damage to improvements to remain and the project moved forward on schedule for early delivery by Cross to FDOT.
#demolition
#hardwork
#gopro
#sony
