GROSSE
ILE -- Downriver
residents
lined West
River Road
Wednesday
to watch the
symbol of
an era topple
to the ground.
Detroit Steel
Co. was set
to implode
two massive
blast furnaces
on the old
McLouth Steel
propertyin
Trenton, but
only one came
down, giving
onlookers
a partial
show.
The 46-year-old
furnace fell
with the first
attempt, but
the older,
50-year-old
furnace stubbornly
refused to
budge. Even
after a second
blast later
Wednesday,
it remained
standing.
As of Thursday,
the company
was attempting
other methods
to level it.
"We
do not anticipate
additional
blasting will
be necessary
to bring it
down,"
said Matthew
Zwack, DSC's
chief financial
officer. "We
are hoping
it's down
as soon as
possible."
The demolition,
along with
the removal
of three ore
bridges in
2000, is part
of an ongoing
attempt by
the company
to remove
obsolete equipment
and improve
the sightline,
Zwack said.
Dave Griesmer
of Grosse
Ile came down
with co-worker
Kay Morrison
of Trenton.
He had a video
recorder and
she brought
a camera.
"I used
to live over
on Meridian
and that was
a part of
our lives
-- the noise,
the flames
and all that,"
Griesmer said,
adding that
he was happy
to see the
furnaces go.
Morrison,
a professional
graphic artist
and an amateur
photographer,
used to take
pictures of
the blast
furnaces.
And although
they made
for great
art subjects,
she said she
won't miss
the sight.
"It's
change,"
Morrison said.
"Potentially
something
good can come
of it."
Before the
blast, Trenton
residents
expressed
concern over
the possibility
of contaminants
on the site.
Zwack said
the company
took the necessary
precautions:
The asbestos
in the furnaces
was abated
and the PCB
transformers
were drained
and removed
before demolition.
Underlying
concrete also
was tested
for polychlorinated
biphenyls
and removed
from the site
prior to blasting.
Zwack said
the company
also met with
state and
local officials
before the
demolition.
They coordinated
with the Coast
Guard to protect
the health
and safety
of area residents.
The company
had warned
that residents
in the vicinity
might experience
a small vibration
during the
blast.
Those on
Grosse Ile
didn't notice
much, but
it was another
story across
the Detroit
River.
"There
were people
on Van Horn
(in Trenton)
and businesses
over there
where the
whole building
shook,"
Trenton Mayor
Gerald Brown
said. "They
thought someone
hit the building."
The Trenton
City Council
approved an
agreement
in November
that would
allow DSC
to reclaim
some contested
taxes from
2002 and 2003
on the condition
that the recovered
money be used
to help demolish
the structures
and associated
equipment.
Although
the agreement
was approved
by the council,
Wayne County,
which also
would receive
some of the
contested
taxes, must
also agree
to the arrangement.
Zwack said
DSC is still
waiting to
hear the county's
decision.
However,
the company
will recover
scrap metal
from the blast
and resell
it, which
could defray
some of the
demolition
cost.
The company
likely will
continue with
property improvements.
"We
are going
to look at
ways to improve
the sightline
by bringing
down the taller
stacks that
are there,"
Zwack said.
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