Contractors began dismantling the metal structures atop the former Sawyer Towers apartment buildings Monday, kicking off the full demolition of the two towers.
A large black crane began taking the metal pyramid structure off of one of the two buildings. The demolition is expected to last for the next several months.
The demolition permit application approved by the city in April said the 15-story, 300,000 square-foot structures will cost $2 million. The towers were built in the 1960s and have nearly 400 empty apartments.
A spokesman for Paths Management said in a statement the development team expects the towers to be completely down within the next 6 months and it hopes to start construction on the new buildings at the end of this year or early 2027.
The spokesman said the demolition won't be an implosion, but rather a systemic, gradual deconstruction.
City officials plan to hold a ceremony on Thursday where the city says the other metal rooftop piece will be removed. Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther, Columbus City Council member Tiara Ross and others will be in attendance.
Sawyer Towers, also known as Latitude Five25, was condemned by the city on Christmas Day in 2022. The city evacuated hundreds of residents from the building after pipes burst.
New York-based development company Nuveen bought the property in December for $7 million. It plans to replace the buildings with a 380-unit development for low-income families.
The new development will be a mix of apartment complexes and townhome-style buildings. Nuveen said in 2024 they want 100% of the units to be affordable with many restricted to 60% of the area's median income.
