NEW ORLEANS — The partially collapsed Hard Rock Hotel construction site may not be imploded anymore.
According to NOFD Chief Tim McConnell, a new plan for the partially collapsed Hard Rock Hotel construction site will be presented to New Orleans officials Tuesday by the building owners, as an alternative to implosion.
The building is owned by 1031 Canal Development LLC, whose principal owner is Mohan Kailas.
McConnell said he was aware that the owners were looking at other options. He added that the change in plans could be because the area that would be impacted is rather large.
“So they are presenting a plan tomorrow,” McConnell said. “I don't know the exact details of it, but we will know that fully tomorrow. We will vet the credentials of them using our subject matter experts.”
McConnell admits he does not know all the details of the plan yet but says the location of the Hard Rock makes an implosion more difficult. “Remember, we are talking about the historic French Quarter.
It’s in close proximity, actually walls with other buildings, 30 feet from a parking garage across Iberville so that all been part of what we’ve talked about,” said McConnell.
Neighbors like Zharia Walters, who lives above the Saenger Theater, does not want to see the building imploded
“The Saenger is really close so I feel like imploding it might affect the Saenger. It might bust open a wall, maybe,” said Walkers.
Some businesses in the area just got the chance to open back up for the first time over the weekend. It’s been slow at at Diva Beauty Supply. The owner says he is not even selling 5 percent of what he used to. He just wants the area cleaned up before things get worse.
“As long as it cleans the block, opens the road, more foot traffic...that’s what we are looking for,” said Akram Abdul Baqi. “However they do it is their business. The engineers know better than me.”
The city has hired technical experts that will review the plan before the building owners move forward with any type of new plan so nothing is set in stone yet.
“Our experts are there to vet the plan and tell us whether it is a good plan or not and to assist us in making that decision,” said McConnell.
The building owners will still need to get approved for a permit before executing their new plan.
McConnell reiterated that the city will remain in control and that if the plans for the site do change, it will be because New Orleans officials believe it is for the best.
The original plan was to implode what’s left of the collapse site in early January, most likely after the Jan. 13 College Football National Championship game being hosted in New Orleans.
Officials said the cleanup would take about three months after the implosion.
The site's owners, 1031 Canal Development, originally said that multiple engineers advised them that implosion was the safest method to bring what’s left of the building down.
Kolb Grading LLC and Dem/Tech were chosen as the firms to handle the implosion. Dem/Tech has been cited for previous safety violations after bystanders were injured during their demolition of a building in 2013.
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