Demolition begins at fire-damaged Centennial Mills
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Demolition of the fire-ravaged Centennial Mills building began Monday, starting with four controlled explosions to bring down the building's rooftop water tower.
State of play: Ever since a blaze gutted the blighted 116-year-old Northwest Portland landmark earlier this month, nearby residents and property owners have been on their toes as city officials warn the unstable structure is at risk of collapse.
- The threat posed by the seven-floor building's husk collapsing prompted closure of part of nearby Northwest Naito Parkway and Fields Park, and halted Amtrak service between Portland and Seattle indefinitely.
Threat level: A sudden collapse could send debris containing asbestos and lead airborne and into surrounding neighborhoods.
Zoom in: Crowds started to gather along the eastern shore of the Willamette, on the Broadway Bridge and even in boats — and at least one paddleboard — hours before detonation.
- Crews could be seen attaching white explosive charges to each of the four corner beams holding up the water tower before the explosion, which was heard all over town.
The latest: The water tower removal was the first step in what officials have described as a complex demolition.
- Before the blasts, which took place at 2:28pm, contractors cleared a 300-foot exclusion zone surrounding the site. Nearby residents received a public alert an hour beforehand, followed by sirens at the three-minute mark and a five-second verbal countdown before detonation.
- Anyone nearby was encouraged to stay inside during and immediately after the blasts and wait until visible dust cleared, or wear an N95 mask if they had to be outdoors.
Flashback: Built in 1910 as Crown Mills, the waterfront complex was once one of the Pacific Northwest's major producers of flour and milled grain.
- Renamed Centennial Mills in 1949, it remained the last operating flour mill downtown until about 2000. Over the last decade, the mill sat vacant and deteriorating as several redevelopment efforts stalled.
What's next: The water tower was just phase one.
- Eugene-based contractor Staton Companies — hired by Centennial Mills' owner and real estate investor Stuart Lindquist — will now begin dismantling the building's remaining walls "in a controlled manner to minimize the spread of debris."
- The city said it could take up to two weeks to reduce the building to half of its current height. Officials did not provide a full timeline on how long the full demolition will take.