DISTURBING DETAILS FROM THE FLAGSHIP HOTEL DEMO ACCIDENT 
A letter written by Grant MacKay Demolition owner Grant MacKay paints a harrowing picture of the circumstances surrounding the death of 65-year-old company worker Tauelangi Angilau in a collapse at the former Flagship Hotel on April 26th. In the letter, obtained from the city of Galveston by reporter Chris Paschenko, MacKay writes that he yelled for someone to retrieve 2 fuel cans he spotted in an area where a collapse appeared imminent. Two workers responded by running toward a portion of the structure a structural engineer later said “they were not supposed to be anywhere near.”: “’I immediately yelled at them to not go under the second floor slab above, but to get a shovel and reach for them from below (pier level),’ Grant MacKay wrote. ‘They either did not hear me or just ignored me.’ Workers continued to yell at the men to come out from under the slab, Grant MacKay wrote. . . . ‘At that precise moment, the north half of all the west bays began to collapse,’ Grant MacKay wrote. ‘We continued to yell that it was falling. Raphael heard us and jumped off, escaping the collapse. Tau didn’t move.’†[Galveston County Daily News; previously on Swamplot] Photo: Click2Houston
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Tag: Demolitions
Swamplot’s Daily Demolition Report lists buildings that received City of Houston demolition permits the previous weekday.
Marvelous and magical demonstrations await you at these select in-town locations:
A WYNDHAM HOTEL IN EAST DOWNTOWN? 
The San Antonio developer who recently tore down the former On Leong Merchants Association building at 801 Chartres behind the George R. Brown Convention Center tells reporter Jennifer Dawson that Wyndham Hotels will operate the $12 million, 12-story Wyndham or Wyndham Grand he plans to build there, not far from where Dynamo Stadium is being built. According to Dawson, the hotel site — which Ocean2Ocean Development acquired from foreclosure last month — incorporates a half acre on the block surrounded by Rusk, Chartres, Walker, and Saint Emanuel. Behind that property currently: the strip-center location of East Downtown mini-grocer Epicurean Express (in photo). [Houston Business Journal] Photo: Candace Garcia
A little urban fire cleanup, along with a few more of the usual put-aways:
Pardon us while we make a few residential adjustments:
This handy list of addresses tells you where the ground-hitting action is:
Swamplot’s Daily Demolition Report lists buildings that received City of Houston demolition permits the previous weekday.
The clearing continues at Richmond and Cummins; plus openings in a few more select spots where the dirt will soon shine:
Let’s see what we can round up before the weekend. Anything more than these places?
COMMENT OF THE DAY: THERE GOES THE CHURCH, THERE GOES THE STEEPLE “Yes, the stained glass is being salvaged. The old pipe organ went to UT and many other art pieces were saved. It is unfortunate to see this go, but it is just a building. The Church is the people. Mark 13: ‘1 As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” 2 “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”’” [Jeromy Murphy, commenting on Mod Richmond Ave. Church Ready To Fall for New Apartments]
Looks like a second round of demolition for the Sylvan Rd. zombie apartments . . . plus a few knocks on this house trio:
There should be room for improvements. If there isn’t, you’ll have to make it.
Construction fencing has already gone up around the Central Presbyterian Church at 3788 Richmond near Greenway Plaza, a reader reports. The Modern church campus was designed in 1962 by Wilson, Morris, Crain and Anderson — just a few years before the same local architecture firm set to work on a small project called the Astrodome. Two years ago the congregation moved a couple miles northwest to merge with the St. Philip Presbyterian Church, just outside the Loop on San Felipe. Houston Mod fans have been trying to save the vacant church from demolition ever since.
But the church buildings won’t be sticking around for long.
Swamplot’s Daily Demolition Report lists buildings that received City of Houston demolition permits the previous weekday.
Welcome back to the wood chase. You’ll find your latest assignments at these addresses:
We’re all houses and garages today. Get out your favorite implement of destruction and begin here:
