NEW ORLEANS — It’s been one month since the Hard Rock Hotel collapsed and it will be about two more before the collapse site is destroyed.
According to Fire Chief Tim McConnell, the implosion of the Hard Rock Hotel collapse site will take place in about 9 weeks. The clean up after will take about three more months.
That nine week timeline puts the building’s implosion right around the College Football Championship being hosted in New Orleans on Jan. 13, 2020.
Engineers advised the City that an implosion is the safest way to bring down the building. The owners of the property, 1031 Canal Development, brought on Kolb Grading LLC has been brought on to handle the implosion, along with their affiliate Dem/Tech.
“The City of New Orleans will remain in control of this throughout the process,” McConnell said. “The contractors are required to file for permits that require our approval every step of the way.”
City of New Orleans gives timeline for demolition
McConnell noted that safety is still the number one priority with everything they do at the Hard Rock collapse site, as well as the recovery of the two bodies of workers killed in the collapse still trapped in the debris.
New Orleans officials announced earlier that the collapse site would be brought down before the two deceased workers trapped in the rubble could be recovered.
There could be relief for some nearby business owners before the building implodes. McConnell said that the City is working with property owners to get another contractor onboard to stabilize the crane still precariously leaning against the collapse site. Once that is done, some nearby businesses may be able to reopen.
1031 Canal Development also announce a plan to get the Saenger Theater open in early December by building a temporary protected walkway to the theater.
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