The largest concrete dome in the world crumpled like a pressed flower. Two tons of nitroglycerin-based dynamite shattered the 125,000-ton concrete structure of the Kingdome in Seattle, Washington, in a matter of seconds. There wasn't so much as a crack in the foundation of a new stadium under construction just 90 feet (27 meters) away.
Controlled Demolition, Inc. (CDI), carefully orchestrated the destruction. Based in Phoenix, Maryland, it's one of a handful of family-run companies, each passed from generation to generation, that handle all major structural implosions around the country. It's the only company in this group where daughters are rising through the ranks.
Stacey Loizeaux is project manager on some of the biggest projects tackled by the company her grandfather, Jack Loizeaux, founded 57 years ago. That makes her an anomaly in the industry of destruction.
"Stacey grew up around this work and is respected for being every bit as competent as any of the men," explained Mike Taylor, executive director of the National Demolition Association." She's working in a business that's about 95 percent male."
An Industry Is Born
Loizeaux's grandfather discovered his knack for explosions after finishing a forestry degree at the University of Georgia and founding a tree service business; he frequently used explosives to get rid of stumps. Before long he used the same technique to help a neighbor take down an old chimney.
"My grandfather decided it was nothing more than a big tree of bricks," Loizeaux said. "So he created notches at the base, just as he would on a tree, and used explosives to blast it out, thereby felling it in a controlled direction.
"Once word got around, he was asked to take down a building using the same technique. His answer: Absolutely not. But my grandmother finally convinced him to take the project and voila! An industry was born."
Keeping It in the Family
Loizeaux's first job in her grandfather's company was raking leaves around the office when she was 12 years old. She did odd jobs until coming on full-time after finishing a degree in business administration at the University of Maryland in 1991. "I tried to rebel against the family company in my adolescence; I was the lead singer in three bands over six years but quickly realized that nothing was quite as interesting as this job."
CDI has taken down structures on six continents. Loizeaux's first international project was in Mexico City after a massive earthquake in 1985 when she was 15. "Thousands and thousands of people were killed and a major portion of the city was destroyed. It was catastrophic."
|
SOURCES AND RELATED WEB SITES
|
