How Do I Know? Two Words: West. Virginia.

The University of Charleston (UC) will conduct an auction on eBay to determine who gets to push the button that implodes the former Union Carbide headquarters. The bidding will open March 11 and continue through March 20. Interested parties can watch the progression of the auction on the University's website, …

Dow Chemical, which purchased Union Carbide in 2001, donated the 11-story brick building in South Charleston to UC in 2006. The building was constructed in 1948. It contains about 106,000 square feet of space and once served as the regional corporate headquarters for Union Carbide. In preparation for the demolition, the tunnels that went from Building 82 under MacCorkle Avenue have been sealed off and the fiber optic line that ran through the building has been rerouted.…

The University plans to sell the entire 6.5 acre site after the building has been imploded. “We hope that demolition of the building will make the site attractive to a buyer who will bring new economic activity into that area of South Charleston,” said UC president, Dr. Edwin Welch. “We're excited to see how much interest there will be in the opportunity to push the button that brings the building down.”

The event, scheduled for the morning of March 28th, will be open to the public. University officials hope that Union Carbide and Dow employees and retirees, along with other interested members of the community, will turn out to watch the action. Nearby residents are receiving individual communications from the university about what to expect, and more details about the events of March 28th will be released when they become available.


I know they're using safe words, like “implosion,” and talking as if this will be handled expertly and professionally, but trust me. This will not end well.