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BETHLEHEM, Pa. (CBS) – Martin Tower is gone. Dynamite demolished the former world headquarters of Bethlehem Steel at 7:03 am Sunday. The implosion shook parts of the Lehigh Valley. Those who say it was stronger than they thought and you felt at your feet.
It took only 15 seconds to the iconic 8-storey Martin Tower and 21-storey Eaton Avenue to collapse, leaving behind a plume of dust.
The teams used 485 pounds of explosives to demolish the vacant building.
It was a show that the community did not want to miss and some people dressed for the occasion.
The reign of the building comes to an end after almost 50 years. The Martin Tower was the largest building in the Lehigh Valley since its inauguration in 1972 as the headquarters of Bethlehem Steel Corporations.
"This represents manufacturing in the United States, which has now disappeared," said Doug Achui of Bethlehem.
Edmund Martin, who gave his name to the building, joined Bethlehem Steel in 1922 and rose through the ranks, making Bethlehem a major player in the industry.
"It's a company that built the Golden State Bridge and launched ships during World War II," said former general manager of Bethlehem Steel's public affairs, Robert Bilheimer.
Some residents were sad to see him leave and wondered what would replace him.
"I spent time here when I was younger, with a lot of good memories," said Chelsea Kaufman. "I hope they will get something out of it."
Duane Wagner, the project manager, and his team took possession of the building in 2006 and plan to build retail spaces, offices and apartments.
For now, the city begins cleaning as it prepares for a new chapter.
Crystal Cranmore from CBS3 contributed to this report.
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