More recently, however, the tower, which had housed classrooms and research labs, was identified as not suitable for renovation due to its aging concrete and foundations and its outdated layout. It is being carefully removed in a $47.5-million top-down, piece-by-piece demolition that emphasizes precision over force. The project started in 2026, and completion is expected in early 2027.

Crews are working from the top down in a floor-by-floor demolition that started in January and is expected to be completed in early 2027.
Photo courtesy of O'Rourke Wrecking Co.

Implosion Never on the Table

Mike O’Rourke, a University of Cincinnati alumnus and president of O’Rourke Wrecking Co., which is partnering on the demolition with Skanska Cincinnati, says imploding the building was never an option.

“Crosley Tower sits in the middle of an active, dense urban campus with occupied buildings, utilities and constant pedestrian traffic immediately adjacent,” he says. “Implosion was not viable due to risk tolerance, air overpressure and debris footprint. Full mechanical demolition from grade was also limited by the structure’s height, reinforced concrete system and lack of safe collapse zones.”

The team chose a slab-by-slab deconstruction approach selected to control load paths and to create a predictable sequence for removing the building.

Each floor is saw-cut into manageable sections, typically ranging from roughly 8 ft by 10 ft up to 10 ft by 12 ft depending on structural layout, says O’Rourke. “The slabs are not perfectly uniform — column spacing, beam drops and mechanical penetrations create variation.”

The demolition strategy ensures that Crosley Tower remains stable at each stage of the process.
Photo courtesy of O'Rourke Wrecking Co.

Finesse, not Force

“Removing a single slab section can take anywhere from 20 minutes to over an hour to fully cut, rig and remove depending on reinforcement density and accessibility,” O’Rourke notes. “The process repeats floor by floor, maintaining structural stability at all times.”

“After the slabs are removed, supporting beams and columns are removed in carefully planned sequences before moving to the next level,” adds Chris Hopper, executive vice president and general manager for Skanska Cincinnati.

Hopper says the tower was designed with varying floor plates, slab thicknesses and reinforcement patterns. Completing the demolition of an entire floor typically occurs over multiple days, depending on complexity. The largest slab is expected to weigh approximately 16 tons.

“Brutalist structures like Crosley Tower are extremely robust, made of thick concrete, heavy reinforcement and construction methods that don’t easily lend themselves to demolition,” Hopper says. “From a safety standpoint, that means you can’t rush the work. O’Rourke’s experience with complex, high-risk demolition has been essential in sequencing the removal so that the structure remains stable at every stage. It’s a methodical process, and that discipline directly supports worker safety and public protection.”

Tens of thousands of tons of concrete went into building Crosley Tower, and much of it is planned to be recycled.
Photo courtesy of Conor Boyle

Maintaining an Active Campus

The biggest challenge was planning the work to be completed without disrupting daily life and operations on campus. Skanska, O’Rourke and the University of Cincinnati worked together to create a plan that prioritizes pedestrian safety, emergency access and clear communication.

“We developed highly sequenced work zones, dedicated haul routes and just-in-time trucking to avoid site congestion,” O’Rourke says. “Every move, from crane picks to debris removal, was modeled to minimize impact on daily campus operations.”

Before every mobilization, all subcontractors are required to complete a construction work plan (CWP), which helps identify potential hazards and establishes the safest methods for performing each task. As work progresses, CWPs are updated for new activities to ensure continued risk awareness and mitigation.

In addition, daily hazard analyses are conducted and documented.

“These sessions actively engage all workers in reviewing the day’s tasks, identifying potential hazards and environmental considerations and confirming appropriate controls,” Hopper says.

Deconstructing a building that was altered in various ways over the decades has brought other challenges.

“As with many buildings of this era, we have encountered areas with heavier-than-anticipated reinforcement and localized modifications from decades of renovations,” O’Rourke says. “In some cases, embedded elements and undocumented utilities required adjustments to our sequencing. We address these conditions through field verification, real-time engineering review and adapting cut patterns or rigging methods. Flexibility is critical, but always within a controlled, engineered framework.”

The team uses specialized tools that include track-mounted saws and strategic core drilling for clean separation, high-capacity cranes for controlled picks and high-reach excavators equipped with processors when the team transitions to lower elevations. Rigging systems are engineered for each pick to manage weight, balance and swing control.

“Everything is planned before the cut is made,” O’Rourke says.

While the building has outlived its usefulness, the materials that went into making it have not. A significant portion of the structure, approximately 25,000 to 30,000 tons of concrete and 1,000 to 1,500 tons of reinforcing and structural steel, are expected to be removed and processed during the demolition.

“Material separation and recovery are closely coordinated with demolition operations to maximize diversion from landfill, with a large portion of non contaminated concrete expected to be recycled,” O’Rourke says.

“As expected with a building of this age and construction type, field conditions sometimes require adjustments, and the team pauses to reassess before moving forward,” Hopper adds.

An operator strips roofing material at the top of Crosley Tower during the initial phase of the demolition.
Photo courtesy of O'Rourke Wrecking Co.

Personal Connection

For O’Rourke, dismantling Crosley Tower represents one of the company’s more complex projects in its portfolio—not simply due to size, but because of the many constraints.

“The combination of a heavily reinforced Brutalist concrete structure, vertical deconstruction and a fully active campus environment demand a level of coordination and precision beyond conventional demolition,” O’Rourke says.

It also carries a personal connection for the demolition firm president, who spent time in Crosley Tower as a student logging long hours in the chemistry lab.

“There is a sense of history tied to that building,” he says. “It has been part of the campus skyline for decades, and for a lot of people, it holds memories. I remember being in those labs as a student, so it is personal.”

While details are not yet available, the university’s board of trustees advanced in April a plan for construction of a new science and research facility to replace Crosley Tower, a future that O’Rourke says could not happen without the work to demolish the old building.

“Being part of its removal and knowing it is making way for something new that better serves the university today is meaningful,” O’Rourke says. “It is what demolition is really about. Not just taking something down, but creating opportunity for what comes next.”