Midland Odessa

[Haretip]

I can see through my office window that the old Midland Savings Building (scheduled to be demolished Nov. 8th) is currently on fire. I suppose someone got a little frisky with the cutting torch. Lots of smoke. This might make the Dallas news tonight.

[Haretip]

From the Midland Forum:

There are currently 7 firetrucks on the scene, large flames, and things flying from the building. My sister works in the Bank of America building across the street. She is taking photos on her phone and I work across the tracks and have been videotaping.

Fire photos on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/clumsyraine)

Fouta, your hometown is burning.

[Haretip]

Nearby skycam blacked out due to smoke: (http://www.kwes.com/Global/link.asp?L=225300)


Smoke billowed today from the top of the Midland Savings Bank building in downtown Midland. The bank, seen here in an undated file photo, was scheduled for demolition in November. (Photo by Alec Richards)
The cause of the smoke is unknown. The building was scheduled for implosion Nov. 8.

FROM WWW.MYWESTTEXAS.COM (Midland Reporter Telegram Website) (www.MyWestTexas.com) From Staff Reports
Published: Monday, October 27, 2008 2:55 PM CDT
BREAKING NEWS - Heavy smoke is seen emerging from the rooftop of Midland Savings Building downtown.

The smoke was caused when a spark from a utility torch hit debris in an elevator shaft, City Fire Marshal David Hickman said

The torch was being used to separate Rebar in advance of the building's Nov. 8 demolition.

Glass from the building is reportedly falling eight to 10 stories onto the street below. Nearby areas have been roped off to prevent injuries. The Midland County Courthouse next door has been evacuated and closed for the day.

Workers from throughout downtown have gathered outside their buildings to watch the smoke.

Reporters and photographers are on scene. Please check back with MyWestTexas.com soon for further updates.

[Haretip]

Some of our staff just came back from rubbernecking and said the fire is going pretty good. The Wilco Building across Wall Street is being evacuated. I wonder what the chances are that this building comes down without the use of explosives?

[RobertB]

Some of our staff just came back from rubbernecking and said the fire is going pretty good. The Wilco Building across Wall Street is being evacuated. I wonder what the chances are that this building comes down without the use of explosives?
They'll have to re-evaluate it before attempting an implosion, right? Assuming it doesn't fall down on its own, I would think it might be weak now in places that weren't weak before. With that much uncertainty, they may have to use more traditional demolition techniques, for fear that some weak spot might cause a floor or two to go sideways instead of down.

A news article from just before the fire (http://mywesttexas.com/articles/2008/10/27/news/top_stories/doc4905f11543331940788003.txt) notes that "The project has already met with several delays." Haretip, do you know if those have been technical, or more along the lines of folks worried that their windows will get blown out?

[Haretip]

No clue. I am only recently in Midland.

[Haretip]

OK, something's burning again, but not sure what yet. This time north of town.

[Haretip]

I suppose just a grass fire. Nothing on the local news feeds. Sure enough smoke and fire trucks headed toward it at the time. It's just pretty dry and what with all the rain earlier, there is sure plenty of fuel to burn.

[tamtagon]

thanks to our friends at the Fort Worth Architecture Forum (http://www.fortwortharchitecture.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=5174&hl=).....

1838



Midland’s downtown, pending a sale between the city and county, might have a 59-floor high-rise in its future, easily the tallest in the Tall City.

Midland Mayor Perry said the Energy Tower at City Center could be valued between $300 million to $350 million.

Energy Tower could be a two-year process, which means it could be complete by the end of 2015 or the start of 2016.

Read more: City: Building part of downtown “City Center” to spur revitalization - Mywesttexas.com: Top Stories http://www.mywesttexas.com/top_stories/article_148c4774-8f7b-11e2-bd66-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz2Ohgav12F

[ChampionDallas]

I've been reading this on Skyscraper Page's forum (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=204482). Houston is booming right now, OKC has the new Devon tower, and now Midland. All oil centers. What is downtown Dallas' major industry? Finance? I sure wish we could get something substantial. :(

[incrediculous]

I'm a little confused by the repot, is the tower is a public project? The city is buying the old courthouse and demolishing it?

[incrediculous]

Apparently the City of Midland is buying the courthouse at its (supposedly) appraised value to hold it for a favored developer, Energy Related Properties, rather than go by the book and sell it at public auction to the highest bidder. Energy Related Properties must then fill 30% of the office space to begin demolition and construction. Midland City Manager Mr. Sharp also suggested the city may offer to pay for the building's underground parking garage.

This project is still very much speculation, with the City of Midland already fronting the $2.4 million in actual costs to the benefit of a developer which has little or nothing to lose.

http://www.mywesttexas.com/top_stories/article_6154dac8-94dd-11e2-8518-001a4bcf887a.html