Pasadena's Lone Skyscraper To Be Imploded On Sunday

PASADENA, TX — Pasadena's lone skyscraper will become a pile of twisted steel and concrete this weekend. The Pasadena First State Bank Building, which has been a fixture in the city for more than 50 years, will fall to the ground on Sunday morning.

Areas of Southmore Avenue and Pasadena Boulevard will be closed to traffic ahead of the 7 a.m. implosion, according to a press release from the city.

The building, which was purchased by the Pasadena Economic Development Corporation in October 2018, was viewed as a symbol of progress and growth, has been closed since the mid-1990s and became more of an eyesore than a landmark.

Crews have been working for several months to remove asbestos material to ensure the building can be brought down safely, officials said.

The Pasadena EDC said the city's office of emergency management will be monitoring the event, starting at about 4 a.m. on July 21, until the implosion is completed.

City officials said they are also working with the Federal Aviation Administration to establish a flight restriction zone in the area to prohibit amateur drone flights in the area.

The City of Pasadena and the Pasadena EDC are coordinating updates via social media as details become available and encourage the public to follow city Facebook accounts for the latest information: @PasadenaEDC and @pasadenatexas.

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