The abandoned Hertz Tower in Lake Charles, Louisiana, was imploded after sustaining damage from Hurricanes Laura and Delta. The 22-story building collapsed in seconds after a demolition crew triggered a series of explosions inside. As reported by the New York Post, the tower fell into a large cloud of dust, forming a pile about five stories high.
Formerly known as the Capital One Tower, the building had been a prominent feature of the city's skyline for over four decades. However, after the hurricanes swept through southwest Louisiana in 2020, the once-iconic structure became an eyesore, with shattered windows covered in shredded tarps.
For years, the building's owners, the Los Angeles-based real estate firm Hertz Investment Group, had promised to repair the tower once they resolved their insurance claim with Zurich in court, according to The Advocate. The estimated cost to bring the building back up to code was $167 million, and the two parties eventually settled for an undisclosed amount.
The demolition was financed by $7 million in private funds secured by the city. Hertz still owns the property, but according to city officials, the site's future remains uncertain.
Lake Charles Mayor Nic Hunter called the implosion of the building "bittersweet". He told ABC News, "I know how hard the city tried to work with several development groups to see it saved, but ultimately ... it proved to be too tall a task," Hunter said before the implosion. He was in office during the hurricanes. "At this juncture, I am ready for a resolution. It's been four years. It's been long enough."
Lake Charles, located along the banks of the Calcasieu River and just a two-hour drive from Houston, is home to approximately 80,000 residents. The city is celebrated for its numerous festivals, bayous, casinos, and distinctive Cajun culture, but it has also earned the title of America's "most weather-battered city" from the Weather Channel.
In October 2020, Hurricane Delta made landfall in southern Louisiana just six weeks after Hurricane Laura had already taken a similarly destructive path along the U.S. Gulf Coast. By then, Lake Charles was still grappling with the aftermath of Laura, which had damaged roofs, claimed more than 25 lives in the region, and left streets filled with mud and debris.
The implosion of the Hertz Tower symbolizes the city's ongoing struggle to recover from the back-to-back hurricanes, which inflicted an estimated $22 billion in damage, according to the National Hurricane Center.
