SAN ANGELO, TX - Casting our minds back to the year 2009, Angelo State University's landscape underwent a transformative event, the implosion of University Hall, also known as the Women’s High Rise.
This event marked a pivotal moment in ASU's history; this explosive undertaking paved the way for subsequent campus growth and expansion.
In the months leading up to the implosion, a coordinated effort unfolded, capturing the attention of approximately 6,000 spectators who gathered to witness the event.
At the time, numerous news releases went around town, ensuring that students and the entire San Angelo community were informed about street closures and the reasons behind the implosion.
The demolition plan itself was carefully orchestrated, with 140 pounds of explosives strategically placed throughout the building.
The explosives were set to ignite in a sequence, starting in the basement and then progressing upward at a precise 45-degree angle. This approach ensured that University Hall collapsed inward from the east, minimizing the impact on the surrounding area.
In the moments just before 8:15 a.m., a box containing the detonation switch made its way to the front of the Junell Center.
Alvin New, an ASU graduate and former CEO of Town & Country convenience stores, had secured the honor of triggering the explosives through a winning bid in an alumni association fundraiser.
Joseph Rallo, then serving as the university’s president, had a vision beyond the implosion—a vision that materialized into recreational spaces replacing the remnants of University Hall.
Today, that space houses a sand volleyball court.
Watch the implosion:
Footage of the high-rise dorm at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, being imploded.
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