Plans for demolition of the former Champion Trophy building on Seventh Avenue and Eighth Street have collapsed again.
Earthmovers Unlimited Inc. was planning to take the building down this weekend, but a job conflict for the company hired to set up detour barricades put a hitch in those plans, according to a message to the city from property owner Pyramid Healthcare Properties.
Pyramid will try again on the weekend of July 22-23, according to the company message.
Pyramid has now scheduled the demolition four times, according to John Niebauer Jr., owner of Earthmovers.
"My first opportunity to knock that thing down, it's going to the ground," Niebauer said.
The company has its approvals from PennDOT and its permits from the city, said Sgt. Frank Shields of the Altoona police, who coordinates such events.
"We kind of insisted they do it on a weekend to minimize the amount of traffic disrupted," he said.
If the plans they had for this weekend remain the same, the company will start preliminary work on the evening of July 22 and wrap up by July 24.
The project will close Eighth Street between Lexington and Sixth avenues - including the Eighth Street Bridge - and Seventh Avenue between Seventh and Ninth streets.
