In a year of negative news, ‘Leaning Tower of Dallas’ tilted toward the positive

Like most things this year, the Leaning Tower of Dallas will go down as part of 2020 roller coaster history.

The failed implosion of the former Affiliated Computer Services building on North Haskell Avenue on February 16 resulted in a suddenly popular landmark crooked against the Dallas skyline, drawing thousands from all over North Texas and fans and critics from around the world, the made it an internet sensation.

Almost all of the outer parts of the building were blown up in the first explosion. But the remaining cement core with the elevator shaft remained intact and sank about 9 to 12 meters into the basement.

After 15 days of memes, art, and petitions, the leaning tower succumbed to a 5,600-pound wrecking ball. And two weeks after the tower collapsed, the coronavirus pandemic broke out.

It took weeks, but the former Affiliated Computer Services building on Haskell Avenue was finally reduced to rubble on March 2, 2020.(Juan Figueroa / Employee Photographer)

The site where the tower once stood will be home to a $ 2.5 billion mixed-use project called The Central, a project that will include residential, office, retail, dining and entertainment space that will span over 5 million square feet.

Developer Artemio De La Vega said the tower was an unexpected surprise that united Dallas.

“We were thrilled to see people coming together to celebrate a milestone that went from an incomplete implosion to a global social media sensation,” he said in a written statement.

De La Vega is now looking at the start of construction for The Central, which is due to begin in early 2022 on a four-hectare park.

The project would be considered one of the larger in D-FW, outperforming Trammell Crow Co.’s new mixed-use Park District project on Woodall Rodgers Freeway and Pearl Street and the Union Dallas project in Uptown.

The Central will include office, apartment, retail, restaurant and parking spaces. (De La Vega development)

In a post-pandemic setting, De La Vega said he plans to make health a priority goal in The Central project by making it as natural as possible.

De La Vega said The Central’s prime location makes Dallas a pioneer in attracting young professionals.

“This is an exciting time for our city,” said De La Vega, “and I look forward to seeing how all of us – developers and city guides – can work diligently together to seize these opportunities and bring strong economic progress to Dallas bring.” .”

De La Vega credits the Leaning Tower for helping create social media buzz around The Central in February, and said his team spoke to several artists about commissioning art to help create the pay tribute to former landmarks and “the spirit of Dallas”.

“I think we have to celebrate this,” he said. “The Central wants to be a celebration of that spirit, and the Leaning Tower was the result of that spirit. We absolutely have to keep that alive – it has to go on. “

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