The tallest building in Kentucky's capital city came crashing down in a controlled implosion yesterday in front of thousands of onlookers who were forced to scurry away to avoid a huge dust cloud that formed afterwards.
The demolition of the 28-story Capital Plaza Tower will make way for a new modern five-story office building and its 1,100-spot car park. The tower opened in 1972 as a state office building and closed in 2016.
Republican Matt Bevin did not push the ceremonial plunger to start the demolition. Instead, he auctioned off that right on eBay, with all proceeds going to a charity started by his wife.
The #WeAreKY Foundation supports the state's foster children.
It has no paid staff, and the Executive Branch Ethics Commission said it is not a conflict for Bevin to raise money for charity this way.
"It's amazing that even as we are here to see a building come down, the dollars that are being generated in some measure from this are helping to build families up," Bevin told the crowd shortly before the demolition.
The winning bid of $15,000 came from a Shelbyville resident, A.J. Stivers, who owns a company that provides on-site vision and hearing exams at schools across Kentucky.
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