An implosion for the ages

Dominion Energy Inc.'s former headquarters goes BOOM in downtown Richmond

Published June 1, 2020 by Kate Andrews

Dominion Energy Inc.’s 1970s-era former headquarters made a big kaboom! Saturday morning as it was imploded in downtown Richmond, making way for a new office tower — although plans for the replacement building have not been finalized. Thousands of people gathered on bridges, hills and sidewalks to watch the spectacle, which was for many the first live entertainment in months amid the coronavirus pandemic. With streets around the 21-story building on 7th and East Cary streets cleared, a demolition team set off dynamite a few minutes after 7 a.m. on a warm and muggy day. Soon, puffs of dust shot out of the building’s windows, and it started to curl in on itself, finally collapsing in a pile of rubble seconds later. Onlookers applauded, put back on their masks and headed home again.

All photos by Caroline Martin. Click to expand.