Thursday 25 October 2012

Deconstruction Over Demolition at Wilshire Grand

It's deconstruction over demolition at the Wilshire Grand. Phase one of 'soft demolition' has begun, which includes taking down non-load-bearing walls and eliminating hazardous materials. Next month brings phase two and the heavy machinery, complete with two giant cranes hoisting smaller, tractor-like vehicles to drill through concrete walls and platforms, dismantling the Grand floor-by-floor. When the building is reduced to street level by late next Spring, phase three begins with excavation of the existing foundation and underground infrastructure, a sensitive phase as crews are careful not to expose the nearby Seventh Street Metro Subway tube.

The choice of deconstruction seems a wise one overall, especially to those of us who frequent DTLA, with the triple threat of street closings, falling debris and noxious dust outweighing the broad-spectrum appeal of a good explosion. Chris Martin, architect and overseer on the project, made the call against outright demolition, disappointing pyromaniacs city-wide. He's interviewed by Ryan Vaillancourt of LADTNews here.

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