Fargo, North Dakota – Lashkowitz Highrise Demolition & Implosion

Challenge

The Lashkowitz High Rise in downtown Fargo, ND was opened in 1971. The building was 204 feet tall and had over 200 units for low-income housing. The building was contaminated with asbestos, heavy metals, and other inorganic contaminants and was slated for demolition and implosion in 2023.

Solution

Moore Engineering was hired to monitor the building during deconstruction. This included mounting four targets on the building and giving detailed survey readings throughout the deconstruction process. Ground control was established on the exterior of the job site to monitor the points attached to the building and measure any vertical or horizontal movement. This was an additional safety measure to make sure the building didn’t shift or move throughout the deconstruction process.

Moore Engineering was also tasked with cataloging and inventorying the conditions of surrounding buildings, landscapes, and physical features to record the before and after conditions of the demolition process.

Outcome

The building was successfully imploded on September 16, 2023. Four hundred pounds of dynamite was used to bring the 22-store structure down in seconds. In its place, a 110-unit affordable housing apartment complex called the Lashkowitz Riverfront Apartments will be constructed. The new apartment complex is expected to be completed by 2025. 

Moore Engineering provided surveying services that included project control, building monitoring, pre/post implosion existing conditions inspections/documentation, and drone-based aerial imaging.