WIU residence hall set for Saturday implosion.
The countdown is underway until Western Illinois University will formally say good-bye to Higgins Hall by imploding the structure this Saturday.
At approximately 9 am, the 50-year-old building will be demolished in an event that will last an estimated 15 seconds. The demolition is being completed by Spritas Wrecking and Controlled Demolition Inc.
The building, which closed in May 2013, is being taken down after a 2008 Facilities Condition Assessment showed it would cost an estimated $48 million to bring the building to “like new” status. The 20-story building, constructed on the seventh hole of the old golf course, was opened in 1967 as a residence hall for women.
Clean-up of the debris will begin immediately after the implosion and is expected to last until October. An estimated 90 percent of the debris will be diverted from landfills through recycling, and the resulting area will be turned into green space.
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