MIA taking down old tower
Construction crews Wednesday started the process of dismantling the old Federal Aviation Administration tower at Miami International Airport, using a crane to take the 19-ton top of the tower down in one piece.
Airport officials said the FAA asked the Miami-Dade Aviation Department to take the tower down to avoid potential damage during the 2006 hurricane season. The project will take approximately 75 days. MCO Environmental Inc. has a contract to dismantle the tower by separating it into 60 pre-cast concrete pieces.
The tower served the airport from 1985 until 2002. A new, 332-foot tower that can withstand the worst hurricane winds is now serving the airport. The new tower is also 100 feet taller than the old tower.
