On Saturday, 2828 N. Haskell Avenue was an innocuous office building set for implosion, making way for a billion-dollar mixed-use development called The Central. By Sunday, the Leaning Tower of Dallas was a viral sensation.
Now, it’s inspired artists. It’s highly-rated and reviewed on Yelp. It’s even got a t-shirt.
Where is the Leaning Tower of Dallas? From Google Maps, the half-demolished building is on the left, CityPlace in the middle, and the Richards Group on the distant right.
For a better frame of reference, we “Google walked” all over Maps to line up this screenshot above with the photograph by Juan Figueroa/The Dallas Morning News that ran in Wednesday’s New York Times, below.
Dallas’ now infamous architectural attraction was first dubbed the leaning tower by local news radio reporter David Rancken of KRLD and a few others who noted its likeness to Italy’s architectural wonder.
Now with national attention on this epic fail, you’d expect some light-hearted ribbing for America’s favorite city.
That escalated quickly.
WFAA reporter Chris Sadeghi was there bright and early Sunday morning when part of the building fell. He like many assumed the rest would fall shortly after.
The enigmatic and ever-observant Wylie H. Dallas spotted something interesting in that implosion video:
Once the dust settled, Dallas was left with a stubborn elevator shaft that just wouldn’t quit. But how does something like this happen?
Was it old school construction versus fast new school, as Oak Cliff resident Mark McPherson suggests.
Demolition News readers weighed in with their expertise.
Soon, the tower became Dallas’ most Instagramable spots in town and quick-witted marketers like Visit Dallas saw the inherent value of our newest tourist attraction.
Dallas-based Bullzerk began selling shirts with our newest tourist attraction. The Leaning Tower of Dallas t-shirt is now for sale on Bullzerk’s site for $23.
But a tongue-in-cheek change.org petition hinted at Dallas residents’ frustration with high-priced housing by “shotty developers.” In a day, the growing petition had 834 signatures and counting.
Unfortunately, the demolition will be completed soon to make way for even more hideous shops and condos for the bourgeois residents of Uptown Dallas. That’s why we need to work together now to save this landmark from destruction.
Justin MitchellI’ll save you the time Googling it. A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area, selected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for having cultural, historical, scientific or other form of significance.
Dallas Morning News architecture critic Mark Lamster said on Twitter what remains of the old ACS building is “Dallas being Dallas.” He wrote sweet sweet poetry about the leaning tower.
We’re impressed with this budding art critic, Faz K., who shared his thoughts on Yelp: “Clearly the artists behind this landmark are celebrating the hidden, unsung aspects of our homes and work places, the building systems that power the mighty structures which shelter our great civilization.”
Clearly, there’s kitsch in such an unusual sight. But Bonnie Moon wins the internet.
