Roughly half of Stokely Athletic Center is already gone and the rest of the historic arena is expected to be razed by October, University of Tennessee officials said Monday.

The demolition of the onetime basketball showpiece and the adjacent Gibbs Hall dormitory, which has already been leveled, will make way for a new residence hall, parking garage and football practice fields.

Crews have already begun installing drilling piers or footings for the new dormitory, said Bill Pace, a UT architect and the project manager for the site.

Sabre Demolition, a New York-based firm, has the $2.44 million contract to raze the buildings.

Stokely, which was first built as an armory field house in 1958 and then expanded in 1966, was the home to UT mens basketball during many of its glory years. Athletes lived next door in the attached Gibbs Hall, which was built in 1963.

Both the mens team and the Lady Vols moved to Thompson-Boling Arena in 1987, but athletes continued to live in the dorm until it closed in spring 2013.

Plans call for a 600-bed, coed residence hall on the east end of the site, a 1,000-space parking garage on Volunteer Boulevard and football practice fields a combined $100 million project that could be completed by 2016.

Stokely and Gibbs were first approved for demolition in July 2012.

The arena, on the corner of Volunteer and Lake Loudoun boulevards, was vacated more than a year ago as part of an agreement with the fire marshal because the gyms safety systems, including fire exit paths and sprinklers, were not up to code.

Before that, the universitys ROTC program used the facility and Athletics Department offices were housed in the bowels of the arena.

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Half of history gone: Complete razing of Stokely Athletic Center expected by Oct.

NIAGARA FALLS, ON - Two of the greatest tag teams in WWE history reunited to appear at the Niagara Falls Comic Con this past weekend. The Killer Bees, B. Brian Blair and Jumping Jim Brunzell, were joined by their wives at the event where they met fans, signed autographs and sold classic Killer Bees masks. At the table next to them sat the team that has pain and destruction as middle names, Demolition. Bill Eadie (Ax) and Barry Darsow (Smash) wore their trademark face paint and struck a fearsome countenance.

Both squads took the time to talk with the fans who remembered them for their action-packed bouts and contrasting styles on the WWE programming of the 1980s and 1990s. These legends of the ring had many interesting stories that entertained the crowds.

Looking around the comic convention, fans could find trading cards and action figures of both teams from decades past. One of the figures you couldn't find was Jim Brunzell's 1985 Remco doll. The Remco doll line was put out by the AWA and the figures were primitive at best. Each wrestler was the same height and had the same chiselled physique. The only difference would be the colour of the tights, boots and a different head on each doll.

"Verne Gagne was trying to fight Vince (McMahon)," recalled Brunzell. "They signed a deal with Remco and I had already left the AWA and Greg signed my name because the production could not have happened without both names. I was involved in litigation with Greg and Verne (Gagne)."

In the same year the WWE produced a line of highly-detailed wrestling figures made by LJN. "Vince McMahon was very upset with me because Brian and I would have to delay our Bee dolls because there was the Remco doll with me. In the end everything was solved but we had to wait six months to get our doggone LJN dolls which hurt us financially."

When B. Brian Blair was asked about a favourite moment he quickly recalled the build-up to Wrestlemania II. The Killer Bees would participate in a battle royal which featured NFL players.

"At Wrestlemania II when the (Chicago) Bears came down to wrestle around," said Blair. "Watching the [Iron] Sheik stretch [Bill] Fralic was a fun moment for me. To watch the Bears (and other NFL players), who thought that wrestling wasn't a very tough sport and Bill Fralic was one of their tough guys. Sheik pretty much manhandled him. Even though I don't really care for the Sheik I enjoyed that moment."

Barry Darsow (Smash) a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was amazed that Verne Gagne and his AWA wouldn't use him on his wrestling shows.

"I was from Minneapolis and he (Gagne) didn't want me to work for him because I lived in Minneapolis," recalled Darsow. "So when I lived in Charlotte and Atlanta I would go in and do shots (shows) for him. I could wrestle anywhere else but never in Minneapolis because he didn't want too many local Minnesotans to get over there."

Bll Eadie (Ax) remembered Verne Gagne wanting him to relocate and work for him full time. "I could move to Minneapolis but my wife wasn't going to move," said Eadie with a smirk.

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Fans meet Demolition, Killer Bees at Comic Con

PILES of wood, torn down structures, scattered nails, detached roofs and residents trying to cope with the situation are whats left of a community populated by members of the Valdehueza Tree Farmers Association (VTFA) in Barangay Indahag after their houses were demolished on Thursday.

Aside from the grief they felt from losing their home and property, the residents claim that the demolition was unlawful.

This settlement in lower Sumpong was raided on June 5 by police who arrested eight individuals accused of illegal possession of firearms, ammunitions, explosives, and marijuana.

One of those arrested was Maldwyn Valdehueza, the VTFA head who claimed ownership of the 97-hectare land occupied by the association.

In an earlier report, Valdehueza said that the illegal items found in their houses might have been planted to justify the driving them out of the area and giving opportunity to demolish their dwellings, which happened after they have been detained.

No court order to demolish

Rey Beja, a resident of the settlement, said there was no court order presented when the demolition team arrived in the area.

Since there was no court order, some occupants resisted the demolition team believed to be sent by another claimant identified by residents as Dr. Serina Raises-Emano.

Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro tried to get Raises-Emanos side for this story, but failed.

The houses in the settlement measured 8 by 10 feet, said Bobby Alberta, a resident there.

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Oro village residents: Demolition 'unlawful'

Dmolition contrle l #39;explosif - PG E Hunters Point Facility Implosion Controlled Demolition
Movie made by / Film ralis par : The Loizeaux Group, LLC Official website / Site officiel : http://www.controlled-demolition.com Official Youtube channel / Chaine Youtube officielle : https://w...

By: rabatakeu

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Dmolition contrle l'explosif - PG&E Hunters Point Facility Implosion Controlled Demolition - Video

Dmolition contrle l #39;explosif - RG Steel Mill Chimney Controlled Demolition, Inc
Movie made by / Film ralis par : The Loizeaux Group, LLC Official website / Site officiel : http://www.controlled-demolition.com Official Youtube channel / Chaine Youtube officielle : https://w...

By: rabatakeu

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Dmolition contrle l'explosif - RG Steel Mill Chimney Controlled Demolition, Inc - Video

Watch Dogs: Demolition man (share factory edit)
Un video sobre Watch dogs en el que todo explota, realizado con Share factory, el editor de videos de ps4.

By: orochi1981

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Watch Dogs: Demolition man (share factory edit) - Video

The building that once housed the Billings Public Library is coming down slowly, almost as if brick by brick.

The structure now resembles a war-torn building instead of what the space is intended to be, a parking lot.

Disagreements between the contractor, Jackson Contractor Group, and demolition subcontractor LM Excavating have brought the project to a halt.

Jackson Contractor Group Vice-President Greg Hebner said the subcontractors deviation from the original demolition plan is part of what caused the delay.

They moved away from the demolition plan and we stopped the demolition for now, Hebner said. The project will move forward once they resubmit a demolition plan and it is approved.

LM Excavating had no comment Thursday.

In addition to the disagreement, unidentified materials found in the demolition remnants needed further testing, such as for asbestos. Hebner said the company is working with the City of Billings to properly dispose of the materials.

Once the testing is done, the demolition should be able to move forward.

Hebner hopes the new plan will be submitted by the end of next week so demolition can resume.

All of the unknowns should be uncovered and we should move forward as planned, Hebner said.

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Demolition of old library delayed again

Demolition of a building at San Antonio and Mesa in Downtown is underway. It's one of five buildings River Oaks Properties is demolishing on a Downtown block for possible future development. Preservationists had tried to get the city to stop the demolitions because they said the buildings are historically important for El Paso. ( Rudy GutierrezEl Paso Times)

Border Demolition & Environmental Inc., the company hired by River Oaks Properties to demolish five Downtown buildings, was ordered to pay $1,700 by the city for violating its demolition permits, city officials said.

Demolition began Tuesday night on a building at the corner of San Antonio and Mesa, one of five buildings River Oaks is demolishing on a Downtown block for possible future development.

Border Demolition's city-issued permits require demolition work be done between 6 a.m.-10 p.m. But the city received video evidence that demolition went beyond 10 p.m., Tuesday, Javier Camacho, a spokesman for the city Development Department said Thursday.

Mathew McElroy, director of the city Development Department, said Friday that initial information that River Oaks was fined was wrong. And the money Border Demolition has to pay is not technically a fine, he said. It's money Border must pay for city costs associated with the permit violation, he said.

Border Demolition officials have indicated the company will comply with all demolition permit requirements, McElroy said.

River Oaks officials did not respond Thursday to requests for comments.

A building at 109 S. Mesa has been torn down, and demolition continued Thursday on the adjacent building at 218 E. San Antonio. Three other adjacent buildings on San Antonio remained standing Thursday.

Meanwhile, historic building preservationists have turned their attention from fighting the River Oaks' demolitions to trying to get City Council to declare a moratorium on future demolition of Downtown buildings until a preservation plan can be put together.

"Ideally we would like a moratorium on the demolition of buildings over 100 years old Downtown until the city can appoint an independent commission" of experts who could review the city's Downtown historic district boundaries and buildings outside that district and devise a preservation plan, said Max Grossman, vice chairman of the El Paso County Historical Commission, a County Commissioners Court appointed body, and an assistant professor of art history at UTEP.

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River Oaks fined for night demolition work in Downtown El Paso

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Crews begin demolition to part of Royal University Hospitals parkade to make room for the new Childrens Hospital of Saskatchewan.

SASKATOON The next step in construction of the new Childrens Hospital of Saskatchewan started Wednesday morning when crews began the demolition of part of the parkade at Royal University Hospital.

Around 14,000 square metres of the parkade needs to be demolished, including the skywalk, over the next two months to make room for where the new childrens hospital will be built.

This is an exciting milestone for the new hospital, said Jackie Mann, vice president of integrated health services for Saskatoon Health Region.

Todays demolition start brings us one step closer to putting shovels in the ground this September.

Prior to the start of demolition, a new pedestrian entrance from the parkade into RUH was opened to replace the skywalk.

Craig Ayers, the project director for the childrens hospital, said there was other preparation work that needed to take place at the construction site.

We have made significant roadway changes to the site, created a new helix ramp for the parkade and built an access road through the University of Saskatchewan campus to bring in construction materials and equipment, said Ayers.

The new Childrens Hospital of Saskatchewan is slated to open in 2017.

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Demolition starts at RUH to make room for childrens hospital

A historic Uptown building that had been slated to come down, forcing at least three businesses to move, will stand for an indefinite time, now that the citys historic committee voted down the demolition.

The building, 48-56 East Park Place is in the citys historic district. Therefore, the citys Historic Architectural and Preservation Committee had to approve the demolition before it could move forward.

The Sigma Chi Foundation owns the building, in which the organization was founded. It had planned to demolish the back part, stating it was in disrepair. As a result, a number of businesses, including Bills Art Store and Nails Depot, were asked to move out of the building by the end of May.

Bills Art Store had already moved out, having found a new home near the Oxford Wal-Mart. Owner Barb Berry said she regretted having to leave because the store had deep roots at that location. All the same, she said, Im not going to gloat. Thats just mean. Its a done deal for me. I already had to move, so now well be in a better situation.

Patricia Loomis, a manager at Nails Depot, said she was not pleased with the whole affair. She had also been asked to move out but has been unable to secure a new location as of yet. She was granted a 30-day extension at the end of May, and shes not sure what will happen now.

Weve had no help in trying to find a place. This place is our only source of income as a family, she said.

At a meeting in May, the HAPC was unable to reach a decision on the matter and tabled the request. The body met again at a special meeting late in May, after some members inspected the building.

Some members were surprised to not see more damage and deterioration to structural portions of the buildings requested for demolition, stated the report on the meeting.

Because the building had not been declared a public nuisance, Sigma Chi had to meet at least two of five criteria in city code to demolish the building. The HAPC agreed that the cost to renovate the building was too high. However, the HAPC disagreed there was not an appropriate re-use planned for the property, because a significant portion of the land would turn into a vacant lot.

Bob Benson, a member of the HAPC, said that the buildings represented characters tic(s) of a typical small Ohio village, which would be forever lost with the demolition, according to the report.

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Demolition off the table for historic Oxford building