Washington, DC – Now you see it, soon you won’t. The “old” Washington Convention Center, which was built in 1983 between 9th and 11th Streets NW, will be imploded on December 18th at 7:30 a.m. The implosion sequence will begin in the middle of the structure and flow outward, creating a controlled descent of the structure over a twelve second duration.
The South side of the structure just North of H Street will remain in place during and after the implosion. The final clearing of the land will occur by June 2005 after which the site will be converted into a parking lot.
The WCCA has been meeting with service providers and neighborhood properties for the past several months to ensure a smooth event. In an expression of gratitude, the WCCA will host a breakfast reception at 6:30 am for the properties affected during the implosion. The reception will feature Mayor Anthony A. Williams and tourism industry leaders.