Martin Tower’s implosion cost: $43,009.64 a second

The implosion of Martin Tower took just 14 seconds, but carefully choreographing the spectacle took months — including hundreds of government man-hours.Bethlehem Mayor Robert Donchez’s administration billed the contractors nearly $29,000 for the extra police, firefighters and paramedics it marshaled the day of the event, and for the overtime required for community meetings about how the Lehigh Valley’s tallest building would come down, records obtained by The Morning Call through Pennsylvania’s Right-to-Know law show.The permit filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection put the demolition cost at $573,235. Add in the city bills, and the cost of imploding Martin Tower comes to $43,009.64 a second.The operation, while large compared to what’s required at construction sites, falls far short of the extra city services required for events where streets are blocked off, like the 10-day Musikfest, the Celtic Classic or the Runners World Half Marathon, said Robert Novatnack, the city’s emergency management director.In the early morning hours prior to the blast, Bethlehem police kept an overnight vigil with Martin Tower, once the world headquarters of Bethlehem Steel. They patrolled the west side neighborhood in squad cars, watching to ensure no one scaled the wire fence for one final look at the 21-story building before it crumbled into a heap of tangled steel and crumbled concrete.As zero hour approached, more police came to start blocking off the streets to keep the viewing public out of harm’s way as other emergency personnel amassed a fleet of firetrucks and ambulances in case there was a neighborhood emergency after the roads were closed.In total, the bill for traffic control came to $2,240, fire $2,003, $2,185 for ambulances and police $5,043 for the day of the implosion. Police racked up a $16,254 overtime bill for appearing at public meetings and securing the tower in the days leading up to the implosion. Another $1,000 was billed for printing a packet that was distributed to the public.The bills were sent to L&M Abatement of Schwenksville, which was hired by the developers, HRP Management. The developers have paid all but the $16,254 bill, which was mailed last week and due July 19, city officials said.Duane Wagner, a representative of the developers, said all the bills will be paid.The demolition was handled by Controlled Demolition Inc., known for its implosions of Las Vegas casinos and in Pennsylvania for Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers Stadium.The implosion attracted thousands of onlookers who gathered at the nearby Wawa parking lot, Nitschmann Middle School and Rose Garden and lined the streets around safety barriers. People also gathered at vantage points around the city, or huddled around computers and televisions. Video of the event was shared on social media.Martin Tower was built in 1972 as the world headquarters of Bethlehem Steel, which declared bankruptcy in 2001. The building has been vacant since 2007.The developers have since filed a master plan that calls for apartments, offices retail shops, a hotel and a gas station on the site.Morning Call reporter Nicole Radzievich can be reached at 610-778-2253 or at nmertz@mcall.com
Source: Morningcall