More than a decade after the last game had been played at the University of Virginia's University Hall it was over. At 9:58 AM on May 25th 2019, two sirens sounded. One minute later a single siren rang through the air. Then promptly at 10 AM a series of charges began to sound. It took 13 seconds from the first charge until the third home to UVA's Men's Basketball team was flattened. However this process started months ago and took preparation and expertise. These photos are a look into the process of demolishing a large sports arena.
The exterior of U-Hall as it appeared in 2013, before demolition was announced.
The interior of U-Hall as it appeared in 2013, before demolition was announced. At this point it was used for occasional sports team practice. In the weeks after this photo was taken, concrete would begin to fall from the ceiling and the arena bowl would be closed to the public forever.
The locker room in U-Hall the day after the building closed.
An academic achievement plaque lays on the floor in the study room, destined for the dumpster. It was not one of the mementos that was taken out by athletes.
A locker room inside U-Hall right after the building closed. The rug with the Virginia logo was removed as it is considered good luck.
The entrance to the arena bowl is closed for asbestos abatement.
The high watt ceiling light bulbs all sit in a bin waiting for the disposal crew to remove them. At this point power has been shut off to the building.
An empty stairwell leading to the lower bowels of the arena.
The press box sits suspended above the bowl. Stripped of its asbestos siding.
Construction supervisor Keith Payne, an alumni of the university, looks out over the arena bowl where he attended many events.
A bobcat carries scraps of the wood basketball court toward dumpsters outside.
Several bobcats working in unison destroy the basketball court.
Wood is stacked 8 feet high as a bobcat pushes it and rips it up.
A worker steadies himself as he walks the shaky catwalk above the arena.
In tandem with demolishing the arena, the university is also tearing down several athletic buildings including their olympic sports center and former pool.
The view from the catwalk as the court is demolished.
The arena bowl sits empty of seats and court. Ready for the next step of demolition.
The ceiling of the arena as viewed from the floor.
Excavators are seen outside the arena which is now missing several wall panels.
The basement remains of the pool is seen in the foreground with the arena behind.
Peering through a hole in the side of the building you can see the excavator, nicknamed the T-Rex, sit-ing.
A worker sprays water to mitigate dust while the T-Rex dismantles the seating section.
A close up of the T-Rex removing concrete stairs.
The concourse of the arena mid way through demolition.
The T-Rex works its way around the arena bowl. In the end it would remove 3/4 of the seating. The rest would stay for implosion to push debris in a certain direction and ensure the building fell predictably.
Workers clear the locker rooms and concourse while the T-Rex removes the arena.
An excavator moving debris outside through the giant hole in the arena.
A view from the catwalk as the T-Rex removes section by section.
The supports of the arena with the concourse and seating removed. The old Virginia athletics logo is torn in half.
The concourse at about fifty percent destruction.
The T-Rex and the George Walsh Football Practice Center is seen reflected in a pool of water inside the arena as demolition is under way.
A view down the concourse with all locker rooms and rest rooms removed.
Workers at this point have started removing all floors of the concourse, leaving only vertical support pillars. holding the roof.
The arena with seating and concourse removed from this side. All metal is being sorted for recycling.
Workers drill holes in the structural support for explosives to be placed.
The old pool still exists when the building around it has been demolished. The trailers behind are the new temporary home of the sports programs that were evicted from the arena.
A worker walks in front of the increasingly skeletal arena.
A side view of the arena structure.
A view through the front doors. The arena is now mostly empty as the demolition date looms nearer.
Equipment is seen reflected in water that sits on the site.
A worker in a lift is seen from the catwalk.
A worker removes rebar that could be come a projectile during implosion.
With most of the seating and concourse demolished the view from the catwalk looks very different.
At the top of U-Hall there's a small vent room. This is what was up there.
A worker exits the catwalk for the last time. Within the hour the T-Rex will have ripped it and the press box down.
Keith Payne saves bricks from the outside for community members.
A worker on a lift removes glass and metal from the building.
Some of the remaining seating covered in debris.
Workers wrap the columns in protective "blankets" that will suppress the explosion and keep it limited to the column which it is intended to demolish.
A worker in the debris.
Interior demolition is now complete and the arena is held up only by its supporting columns.
An excavator works to create a berm which will help cushion the fall of the roof and push the dust in the pre-determined direction.
Workers hang mesh fencing from the arena to catch any material that may fly when exploding.
Afterwards they drape the building in black cloth which will help contain dust and objects that shoot out.
An excavator removes the last few bits of a now dark arena.
The dome is seen draped in black the morning of the implosion.
9:58 am.
10:00 am.
10:00 am.
10:02 am.
The support cabling is seen broken on the ground. This tension ring is why the building could not be demolished by traditional means. Once it snaps the whole building would fall.
Keith Payne walks in the debris and inspects a piece of the roof.
Close up of the tension ring.