WATCH: UA’s Tutwiler Hall fell spectacularly to the ground after 54 years of service [PHOTOS & VIDEO]
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Who needs Fourth of July fireworks when you can watch a 14-story building fall to the ground in 30 seconds?
The University of Alabama imploded Tutwiler Hall today, one of the school’s most beloved dorms, that housed over 50,000 women, primarily freshman, since 1968.
Named after Julia Tutwiler, the mother of co-education in Alabama, the building will be replaced by a new and larger (1,284 bed capacity) Tutwiler Hall. After the implosion and debris removal, the site will be turned into a green area with a winding pathway fromthe entrance of the new residence hall to the Supe Store.
Watch the video:
The Numbers
The implosion was handled by D.H. Griffin Wrecking Company from Birmingham and Dykon Explosive Demolition Corporation from Bixby, Oklahoma.
Fun facts about the implosion, according the University:
- About 1,600 holes were drilled in the structural columns of the building on the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 7th and 10th floors
- More than 500 pounds of dynamite was used
- An estimated 30,000 tons of concrete fell to the ground
- The concrete will be removed to a recycling center where the materials will be crushed and used for future campus projects
- The 1968 building is the 2nd Tutwiler. The first one was built in 1914 at the site of the current site of the Rose Administration building.
One last fun fact — why did the university pick July 4th to demolish the building. At the news conference after the implosion officials gave a great answer… no one was a work today because of the holiday.
Julia’s Legacy Lives On
Want to learn more about Julia Tutwiler? The Bama Buzz’s pwn Lily Plowden wrote up a great story about the legendary educator, reformer and conservationist.
Check it on.
University of Alabama Tutwiler Hall slated for implosion on July 4th. Learn about the woman behind the name.
