Video: CDI implodes former Dominion Energy headquarters

According to CDI President Mark Loizeaux, the building was brought down with nine delayed explosions to both control how the building fell and to minimize noise damage to adjacent structures.


ControlledDemolition Inc. (CDI), Phoenix, Maryland, imploded the Richmond, Virginia-based former headquarters of Dominion Energy on May 30, according to NBC12. CDI acted in coordination with D.H. Griffin Wrecking Co., Greensboro, North Carolina, on the demolition.

Crews from D.H. Griffin initially conducted the soft demolition of the structure to prepare the base of the building and rid it of environmentally hazardous material.

CDI, according to Richmond BizSense, began assessing the site in February. The 21-story building, which was completed in 1978, was prepped with explosives on 13 floors. This required drilling 2,500 holes and filling them with 3,270 pounds of explosives.

According to CDI President Mark Loizeaux, the building was brought down with nine delayed explosions to both control how the building fell and to minimize noise damage to adjacent structures.

Crews also erected tall curtains to ensure debris remained within the confines of the demolition site and surrounding structures were covered to minimize the potential for contamination or damage from the implosion.

D.H. Griffin Wrecking Co. will oversee the site cleanup, which will be conducted throughout the summer.

D.H. Griffin Wrecking Co. estimated that it will recycle 94 to 96 percent of material from the project, with much of the concrete going to local crushers to be used for area building initiatives.

Dominion hasn’t commented publicly regarding plans for the site’s future development.

Watch the video of the demolition below, courtesy of CDI: