Anyone living in Uptown Charlotte got a rude awakening Saturday morning – as demolition crews imploded the former Duke Power headquarters on South Church Street.

WCNC

Bystanders watch as the old Duke Energy building was imploded at 7:32 a.m. Saturday.

In less than 20 seconds, several decades of history came tumbling to the ground.

"I think its pretty scary whenever the boom goes, but then it feels really cool," said Baily Coble, 8.  Her dad works for the demolition company, and this is the third time she's enjoyed a show like this.

"It just sounds like --” Baily paused, looking for the right words – “a big . . . noise." 

How big? 

“BOOM!”  Her eyes lit up at the description.

Baily joined the crowd just off Third and Graham streets as D.H. Griffin Wrecking Co. set to work demolishing the decades-old building, whose fortunes have been tied to Charlotte’s growth since the heyday of the cotton mills. 

In its place will rise three condominium towers and an office building. Construction starts on the first phase, a 29-story condo tower at Church Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard, this summer.

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D.H. Griffin’s risk manager John Booth said Friday that the company had been preparing the site since November -- removing floor tiles, wall panels, and metal parts for recycling. Then the work of demolishing the building began.

"They've loaded the building with dynamite. They've drilled approximately a thousand holes in various structural members," said Booth. The 400 pounds of explosives were then connected to cords, which were hooked up to an electrical device about a thousand feet away.

“Then they will detonate it,” said Booth before the blast.

That’s the moment Alex McCaskey, 8, and his friends, Davis and Reece, came to see.

"Maybe that satellite thing up there is going to fall down," said Alex, pointing to a relay tower on top of the building. Moments later, the crowd heard the explosions Alex wanted to hear.

BOOM!  BOOM!  BOOM!

Explosive charges could be seen as bright flashes inside the structure for about 10 seconds. Then, a corner of the building facing Mint Street appeared to melt into the parking lot.  

The rest of the building followed – including the tower.     

"It was cool!" exclaimed Alex. He and his friends said the tower falling was definitely the best part.

Baily Coble said she didn’t think the building would fall at first – but when it did, it didn’t disappoint.  She says it’s her favorite of the three implosions she’s seen. 

“I think that was the biggest, so I think it was the best,” said Baily.  “It's fun tearing stuff up."