In order to build new, something has to be destroyed. Such was the fate of the former Bethlehem Steel headquarters, as it was demolished by implosion a little over a week ago.
The Martin Tower, named after the former chairman of Bethlehem Steel, Edmund F Martin, began construction in 1969 and completed in 1972. The building was closed in 2007 and finally demolished 50 years after construction started on the structure.
The building stood 332 feet tall across 21 total floors. Its 567,000 square feet were supported by 6,500 cubic yards of concrete and 16,000 tons of structural steel, according to The Morning Call. Asbestos was abated from the property in 2017.
Local news reports stated the implosion happened according to the plan. An exclusion zone was set up within 1,000 feet of the demolition and a 3rd party contractor was hired to monitor the air. The test results from the air monitoring have not been released, but the company did not expect anything abnormal, according to The Morning Call.
A “live-work” development is slated to take its place after the cleanup is completed.
You can watch the video of the demolition below, which was posted to YouTube by TheLoizeauxGroupLLC. The video features 7 different angles of the implosion, as well as a slow motion video toward the end.
In November of last year, the 546 foot tall Mina Plaza in Abu Dhabi officially broke the world record for tallest demolition by explosion, supplanting Hudson Department Store in Detroit, Michigan, which held the record for 22 years.