DENVER - It was like a seismic alarm clock. At precisely 8 a.m. Sunday morning, downtown Denver residents could hear the 'boom' and see the rubble of a building coming down.
Explosives were used to facilitate the removal of the upper floors of the 5-story former Colorado Judicial Building on 14th Avenue between Broadway and Lincoln.
"It was loud, they said it would take 5-8 seconds and that's what it took," said Bill Mosher, project manager with Trammell Crow Company. "It was supposed to fall in and to the south, and that's exactly what happened."
Seismic measuring devices were placed around the site to measure the vibration generated by the demolition event.
All of the engineering calculations ahead of time showed that very minimal ground vibration was to be expected. Denver Police blocked off streets surrounding the demolition area.
The space makes way for the $258 million, 600,000-sq-ft. Ralph L. Carr Judicial Complex.
The Velasquez family was at nearby Civic Center Park shortly after the implosion to take high school senior pictures, but had no idea anything was demolished.
"Even though we had that implosion," said Richard Velasquez, "You would have never guessed it. No dust, no debris."
The Ralph L. Carr Complex is expected to be completed in the spring of 2013.
Explosives were used to facilitate the removal of the upper floors of the 5-story former Colorado Judicial Building on 14th Avenue between Broadway and Lincoln.
"It was loud, they said it would take 5-8 seconds and that's what it took," said Bill Mosher, project manager with Trammell Crow Company. "It was supposed to fall in and to the south, and that's exactly what happened."
Seismic measuring devices were placed around the site to measure the vibration generated by the demolition event.
All of the engineering calculations ahead of time showed that very minimal ground vibration was to be expected. Denver Police blocked off streets surrounding the demolition area.
The space makes way for the $258 million, 600,000-sq-ft. Ralph L. Carr Judicial Complex.
The Velasquez family was at nearby Civic Center Park shortly after the implosion to take high school senior pictures, but had no idea anything was demolished.
"Even though we had that implosion," said Richard Velasquez, "You would have never guessed it. No dust, no debris."
The Ralph L. Carr Complex is expected to be completed in the spring of 2013.
