Pier update, Nov. 6: After carrying the weight of the iconic Inverted pyramid, the underwater structural supports – caissons – are the last thing to be demolished. Four rectangular caisson columns extend above the water as the building’s structural core, measuring 16 feet in diameter by 78 feet in height.
Both the southeastern and northeastern caissons have been reduced to 28 feet. The yellow high excavator, the principal piece of demolition equipment, began gnawing away at the southwestern caisson’s elevator cables.
The work on the base continued over the weekend while the two remaining full-height caissons were prepared for demolition.
The past two weeks have seen the removal of much of the caisson’s exterior material as well as internal stairs, elevator shafts and walls. Much to the dismay of local environmental activists, the removal of the turbidity barrier now allows small matter, such as pieces of asbestos and plaster, to float freely into Tampa Bay, affecting wildlife.
