# Razing of Skyscrapers Through Implosion

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razing-of-skyscrapers-through-implosion/69350>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 19, 2001, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razing-of-skyscrapers-through-implosion/69350 "2001-06-19T15:41:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razing-of-skyscrapers-through-implosion/69350/1 "2001-06-19T15:41:11Z")

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I was recently in Manhattan and became curious as to how some of the older skyscrapers will be razed someday.

Though I’ve seen some buildings in the 10-20 story range razed through explosive demolitions, I’m curious as to how 60, 70, 80-story buildings will eventually be brought down–especially with other buildings surrounding them. For instance, how will the Empire State Building be razed? Approximately 1,100 feet of building must present enormous challenges to civil engineers and demolitions experts alike.

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**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razing-of-skyscrapers-through-implosion/69350/2 "2001-06-19T15:53:17Z")

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They’ll probably come down like they went up: brick by brick. Or at best with a wrecking ball or hydraulic ram.

Explosive (implosive?) building demolition is illegal in the five boroughs of NYC.

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**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razing-of-skyscrapers-through-implosion/69350/3 "2001-06-19T16:55:14Z")

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Take a look at the book **Unbuilding** by David Macaulay. It describes the unbuilding of the Empire State building in great detail with some wonderful drawings.

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razing-of-skyscrapers-through-implosion/69350/4 "2001-06-19T18:01:28Z")

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**THERE IS NO IMPLOSION GOING ON HERE!**

It’s a bunch of explosions that cause the building to collapse. Nothing implosive about it.

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**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\
**Post date:** [June 19, 2001, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/razing-of-skyscrapers-through-implosion/69350/5 "2001-06-19T22:01:42Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by stuyguy \*  
> \*\*They’ll probably come down like they went up: brick by brick. Or at best with a wrecking ball or hydraulic ram.
> 
> Explosive (implosive?) building demolition is illegal in the five boroughs of NYC. \*\*

Huge chunks of debris raining down 80-100 stories from a wrecking ball isn’t a pretty thought. And to think I worried about getting nailed by a penny.

P.S. I’ll read the book.