In a cloud of dust

By Published by The Editorial Board

Published: October 8, 2008

Nothing ever happens at 10 a.m. Thursday, which makes it a perfect time to implode one of the Long Mill buildings.

On Tuesday, the city announced that the white concrete Dye House building at the center of the Long Mill complex would be brought down by a controlled demolition Oct. 30. Other Long Mill buildings have been carefully deconstructed for their bricks and beams, but not the Dye House.

“We are appreciative that something like this will attract attention, so a lot of our issues deal with crowd control and safety,” said Lyle Lacy, Danville’s interim city manager. For Lacy, success will mean “nothing leaves the perimeter of the building” during the implosion.

Considering how many people found their way to the area when fire burned through Long Mill buildings in May, Lacy is right to expect crowds will want to see the building and two adjacent smokestacks brought down in a series of controlled explosions.

During the event, the city government plans to close the Union Street Bridge and the King Memorial Bridge, along with Riverside Drive between the two bridges. The people who live along that section of Riverside Drive will be asked to temporarily leave their homes.

To our knowledge, this is Danville’s first building demolition by implosion. Lacy said other cities that have had buildings imploded will be asked for advice. “We don’t have all the answers,” Lacy said. “We’re going to err on early notice.”

While the controlled demolition promises to be visually spectacular, it’s just another step in the steady destruction of the Long Mill complex. Bringing the Dye House down by controlled demolition is a way to ensure the continued demolition of the other structures around it.

Because it lacks the valuable bricks, beams and woodwork of the other Long Mill buildings, it’s no surprise that the owners chose this particular method to clear more of that riverbank.

For its part, the city has to ensure that the Dye House demolition is done as safely as possible. To its credit, it has already starting working to achieve that goal.