NEW ALBANY, Ind. (WDRB) -- A leveled construction site is all that's left of the former Riverview Tower in downtown New Albany.
Crews started demolishing the 50-year-old structure on Scribner Drive, right off the Interstate 64 West exit into the city, in October.
The building was torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded.
The former 16-story building, now a pile of rubble, once served as public housing until it was deemed unsafe in 2020 over problems such as structural issues, electrical fires and water damage.
New Albany firefighters watch crews demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
IMAGES | Crews start demolition work on New Albany's Riverview Towers
Crews began demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
New Albany firefighters watch crews demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Crews began demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Crews began demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Crews began demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Crews began demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Crews began demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Crews began demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Spectators watch crews demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Spectators watch crews demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Crews began demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Crews began demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Crews began demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Crews began demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Crews began demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Crews began demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Crews began demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Crews began demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Crews began demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Crews began demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
Crews began demolishing the 16-story, 164-unit Riverview Towers building in downtown New Albany, Indiana, on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022. It's being torn down floor by floor using excavators and cranes instead of being imploded. (WDRB photo)
All residents of the 164-unit building were relocated. No one has lived in the space since the spring, and crews had been in the building preparing it for demolition all summer.
Crews had to remove asbestos in the floor and ceiling tiles before beginning the building's demolition.
The city's housing authority plans to sell the lot now, which was appraised for $800,000. It's not clear yet what type of development will replace the high-rise or when requests for proposals will be issued.
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