MIAMI (WSVN) - An iconic Miami hotel is set to be demolished this weekend, and officials said residents and visitors in the area need to be aware of road closures and an exclusion zone that will be in place to ensure it goes off as scheduled and everyone stays safe.
Organizers said Sunday’s implosion of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Brickell Key, currently a shell of its former self, has been one year in the making, and they listed everything people need to know beforehand.
“That building will come down in what looks like a very artistic method, and it will almost spiral into itself. First the tower, then the parking garage,” said Ivy Fradin, managing member of BG Group Demolition. “They’ll be a nine-to-10-second period where the only thing that’s happening as you’re watching is something that you’re hearing.”
There will an exclusion zone within 800 feet of the building that will go into effect at 7:30 a.m. That includes buildings such as St. Louis Condos, Brickell Key One, Isola and the Brickell Key Centre.
The implosion will happen at 8:30 on Sunday and will last 20 seconds, with low vibrations, dust that will clear in minutes and debris that is intended to fall into the building’s footprint.
“We do have a couple of barges that we’ve set up to catch any potential debris that will fall into the bay, even though none is expected,” said Fradin.
Officials said anyone who is in that area needs to stay indoors until the dust subsides.
“They hired enough off-duty officers, so that we cover each and every intersection that’s in the area,” said City of Miami Police Officer Michael Vega. “So officers will be present to make sure that, number one, everybody is safe, and number two, that nobody is coming in that shouldn’t be in the demolition zone.”
“If someone’s outside the exclusion zone, they can walk outside freely anytime they want,” said Fradin.
There’s no evacuation needed, but those who want to leave must do so before 7 a.m. on Sunday, as traffic coming into the island will be closed.
It is expected that traffic will reopen by 1:30 p.m..
“We’re gonna have officers on site that they’re gonna help you, guide you and make sure that the traffic flows easily,” said Vega.
This has been described as the largest implosion event in Miami in more than a decade.
Organizers said only two things could delay Sunday’s implosion: lightning or if there are still people outside in the exclusion zone.
Live coverage of Sunday’s demolition will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Today in Florida.
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