JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — Instead of taking apart the Berkman Plaza II piece-by-piece, developers now plan to implode the building, bringing it all down in one explosion, according to Jacksonville Councilman Reggie Gaffney.
Council member Gaffney explained that engineers have determined the structure has been exposed to the elements to long, and an implosion would now be the safest way to bring the building down.
"We now know that don’t work. The engineer report says they can’t continue to do it that way," said Reggie Gaffney, City Councilman District 7. “We knew that the structure was old and we felt that it would hold, but unfortunately what I was told by the engineers is it’s been out in the elements for 12-13 years,"
The building has been sitting on Bay Street for over a decade. Initially the building was to be torn down piece by piece.
The new plan comes after the city received a report concluding that the building was “structurally unsafe" in relation to the demolition, which led to sections of Bay Street and the Riverwalk being closed temporarily.
New demolition plans call for an implosion of the Berkman Plaza II. Bringing down the 18-story structure in one explosion according to city council member Reggie Gaffney.
"The engineer report is basically telling the city the recommendation on what they need to do and that’s just blow it up," said Gaffney. “This should be an easier job because you don’t have windows, you don’t have a lot of stuff there. All you have is iron and hopefully that will fall right down."
Councilman Gaffney says the city is working on a safety plan with all parties involved and if everything is approved, the building should come down in October of this year.
“So right now the city will have the last say-so and hopefully the city, the mayor and the engineers will make a decision this week to give them the okay," said Gaffney.
There is no danger to Berkman 1 residents, said Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Chief in a press conference.
Development plans call for a new 26-story tower and three shorter buildings to be built after demolition of the Berkman Plaza II.