Maspeth Avenue Holders | |
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General information | |
Location | Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York City |
Coordinates | 40°43′7″N73°56′2″W / 40.71861°N 73.93389°W |
Completed |
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Demolished | July 15, 2001 |
Owner | KeySpan |
Height | 400 ft (121.92 m) |
Design and construction | |
Main contractor | Brooklyn Union Gas |
Maspeth Avenue Holders (Also known as Greenpoint Gas Holders, Keyspan Gas Holders or Brooklyn Union Gas Holders) were a pair of 400-foot tall twin natural gas holders located on Maspeth Avenue in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York City. [1] They were the tallest of their kind when constructed, until their demolition in 2001. [2] [3] [4] [5]
The gas holders were built by Brooklyn Union Gas, the first of them, Maspeth Gas Holder No. 1 was constructed in 1927, [6] [7] followed by its twin, Maspeth Gas Holder No. 2, which was constructed in 1948. [8] [9] The top portions of both structures had a red and white checkered paint-scheme as instructed by the FAA to prevent airplane collisions. [10]
Both gas holders fell into disuse by the 1990s respectively, as Maspeth Gas Holder No. 1 decommissioned in 1992, and Maspeth Gas Holder No. 2 decommissioned in 1997. [11]
In April 2001, KeySpan received a permit to implode the tanks from the city of Department of Buildings. In June 2001, company officials announced the demolition plans at a community board meeting, and met with neighborhood groups on July 11, to inform them as to what precautions were being taken to prevent lead dust in the surrounding area. [2] [12]
On July 15, 2001, at 7:00 am, the two gas holders were both imploded with 750 pounds of explosives, by main contractor Mercer Wrecking Recycling Corp. of Trenton, New Jersey and subcontractor Controlled Demolition, Inc. [13] [11] [12] [5] [4]
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