CLEMSON — At 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, a series of small explosions will pulverize columns on the first, third and fifth floors of the Clemson House at Clemson University, and what remains of the building will collapse as it succumbs to gravity.
On the morning of the implosion, Clemson University and city of Clemson safety officials will restrict access to an “exclusion zone” around the building. This area borders Highway 93 on the south and southwest and Sherman Street on the west, and includes an area north of Daniel Drive and the Douthit Hills construction site to the east. Traffic on Highway 93 and Daniel Drive will be stopped a few minutes before and after the implosion. Once the “all clear” is given, traffic may resume.
The exclusion zone has been established for safety. It indicates an area where persons are not to be outside of their building during the implosion to ensure they are not exposed to noise levels that could exceed OSHA regulations.
Neuber Environmental Services Inc., the general contractor, has stripped the building of material to help minimize dust when the building comes down. The windows have been removed along with drywall and exterior bricks. Portable water misters will be on site to spray the dust cloud, which should dissipate in minutes. Neuber will also begin sweeping the adjacent streets after the “all clear.”
There will be no parking within that exclusion zone after 4:30 p.m. Friday, Dec 1. Once the streets are cleaned after the implosion, parking will be permitted in the area. North Palmetto Boulevard will remain closed to parking and vehicle traffic due to the College of Business building project.
The best view of the implosion will be online, where it will be streamed live at clemson.edu/tv. It also will be online at http://www.clemson.edu/webcams/business. For spectators who want to watch in person, a good vantage point is parking lots R7 and R8, which are off Martin Street east of the building and north of Daniel Drive.
Built in 1950, the Clemson House began as a hotel and later became a residential and office facility. In recent years, it had become the most expensive housing building to operate and it would be cost-prohibitive to renovate and bring up to current standards. Its iconic neon sign was taken down earlier this year and has been placed in storage.
The building site eventually will become a green space and parking area.
There will be a community outreach meeting at 5 p.m. Nov. 27 in the Bellsouth Auditorium of the Madren Conference Center on campus to provide information about the implosion.