Some of the most momentous events in life happen in a matter of seconds. When it comes to the long-planned implosion of Queen Anne Apartments, it's "eight seconds at the most," PHA president and CEO Kelvin A. Jeremiah said, as reported by philly.com. At 7:15am on Saturday, the Philadelphia Housing Authority has demolished the 1955 16-story Queen Lane Apartment building. We have video coverage and before and after photos, courtesy of eyewitness Bernardino Allegretti.
After nearly four years of planning and many meetings between neighbors and the Philadelphia Housing Authority, the 16-story Queen Lane Apartments in Germantown will be reduced to rubble Saturday - in about seven seconds.
↑ courtesy of Bernardino Allegretti
According to Jeremiah, the demolition planning, cleanup, and management will cost about $1.8 million. The implosion was carried out by Controlled Demolition Inc. of Phoenix, MD.
Vacated in November 2011, the Queen Lane Apartments had 115 occupied units.
Once the rubble is cleared away, the high-rise will be replaced with 55 units in two- and three-story buildings at a cost of about $22 million. Homes should be ready to move into by December 2015.
The site will always hold historical significance. In 2011, the playground next to the former building was discovered to be built on the 1766 burial ground called Germantown Potter's Field. It was intended to become the cemetary for the anachronistically referred to group of "Strangers, Negroes and Mulattoes" for the rest of time.
As a result, though the high-rise is gone, the playground is memorialized as open space. Interestingly, an archaeological study done on site has found no human remains, according to Jeremiah.
The evacuation zone covered a one-block perimeter around the site, and a dust zone of two square blocks. A "comfort center" for evacuees and their pets was established at Cook-Wissahickon Elementary School, 201 E. Salaignac St.
·Queen Lane Apartments and the Magic of Planned Implosions [Curbed Philly]
· Queen Lane Apts. to be imploded Saturday [Philly.com]
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