Video: D.H. Griffin brings down 12-story building

The First Pasadena State Bank Building, a 12-story building in the heart of Pasadena, Texas, was imploded July 21, KHOU 11 reports.

D.H. Griffin, Greensboro, North Carolina, was the demolition contractor on the job.

Built in 1962, the building went into foreclosure in 1990 and has remained vacant since 2002.

Pasadena Mayor Jeff Wagner says that although the city hoped to find ways to rehab the building, it was cost-prohibitive.

“You’ve got asbestos, of course. You’ve got mold. It’s been vacant for so long with broken windows, a big hole in the roof. The basement was full of water, and you can just imagine what’s in all the floors and ceilings,” Wagner told KHOU 11.

The Pasadena Economic Development Corporation, who owned the property, says it cost three times what the building was worth to demolish it.

Beams and other metal derived from the structure will be recycled, according to the city, and a large percentage of bricks from the building will be repurposed for a display outside of Pasadena’s city hall.

Once cleared, the site will be redeveloped to make way for new retail stores.

Watch the video of the implosion below, courtesy of KHOU 11.