On January 28, the City of Midland moved one step closer towards demolition of the Building of the Southwest.
The City met with demolition experts Midwest Wrecking Company of Texas, Inc. Monday to establish the project time-line and begin moving equipment in place.
The first visible step will involve demolition of the internal architecture and basement levels, mechanical removal of an adjacent two-story structure, and removal of exterior trim on the lower levels of the building. Work is expected to begin Tuesday, January 29 and continue for approximately one month.
To accommodate the activity, one northbound lane of Big Spring Street (Highway 349) will be closed from W Texas Avenue to W Illinois Avenue starting January 28 through the project duration in late April. From February 1 through February 3, both northbound lanes will be closed and traffic diverted onto one of the southbound lanes. The two-most left lanes of W Texas Avenue are also closed and expected to remain closed for the project duration.
Demolition of the entire structure is planned for late March to mid-April, pending City Council ratification. “After decades of an empty building, we are thrilled to remove this eyesore. This is a milestone in our efforts to revitalize and renew the heart of downtown,” said Mayor Jerry Morales.
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Media Contact: Elana Ladd (432) 685-7593