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#23631 Demolition of the Landmark Tower (380 ft., 420 with clock)

Posted by AlexIndia - JE Parris on 23 March 2006 - 11:49 PM in Fort Worth Architecture

Fort Worth has always run the razors edge between going head to head with major cities while still securing the tight fibers of a home spun town. What has kept us from becoming a pluralist community such as Dallas was two strong factors. One was charismatic leadership. The dictatorship of our oil barons and the great Amon Carter secured and guided our city to it’s position today. While some men of wealth might have gained control at the expense of the city, our wildcatters and merchants declared war on anyone who might have been inclined to take advantage of our city. Our leaders had foresight and strength. The second part to making us an elitist community while keeping the cancer of pluralism away was the diverse approach we took to altering economies when the times called for it. We didn’t just want to be on a rail line, we wanted to be the hub. We didn’t just want to participate in the cattle industry, we wanted to be the beef center of the United States. We jumped into the aviation business with all four feet. We might have been in the middle of a prairie, but Amon made dam sure celebrities and dignitaries did not forget that Fort Worth was where the west begins. From his porch at Shady Oaks Farm he could see Convair, Carswell Air Force Base and a major international airport. He saw these before the roads were paved and the “west side” meant east Camp Bowie. To prove our hight of success it should be noted that we were one of the major strategic targets for a nuclear bomb during the cold war.
XTO I feel is taking up the rains of our past leaders. Yes, they tore down a tower and it will be a parking lot. The CNB had to come down for many reasons already stated. The fact that we make 7th and Houston a parking lot for a decade should not raise any ridicule. It is the conservative way of business. Stetsons, black ties and old money run this city. It is a slow methodical way of doing business. We want to make certain that when we draw and fire, our aim is perfect. We shoot to kill. It should also be noted that in 1944 we demolished the (at one time) tallest building in Fort Worth. It was located at 7th and Houston on the same plot of land that the CNB sat. The Board of Trade building was demolished and for 7 years it was a parking lot. The CNB tore it down, intending to replace it one day with a grand building. Ironically during this time the CNB was located in the Waggoner Building. If XTO builds a monumental tower then they will be repeating the path of the Continental National Bank. The reason Fort Worth has maintained it’s razor’s edge position in the US is because we have kept our growth in check. Yes we are boastful cowboys and oilmen, but we have no intention of jumping too fast. We tend to follow our own lead.



#23407 Demolition of the Landmark Tower (380 ft., 420 with clock)

Posted by AlexIndia - JE Parris on 20 March 2006 - 10:29 PM in Fort Worth Architecture

The CNB, to me it can't be anything but the CNB, was, as the old 7th Street crowd referred to it "a tin box". It is true that it was not to be compared to the Sinclaire or the Blackstone, however what it did symbolize was a faze of Fort Worth development that has yet to be matched. The mid century boom we experienced made the boom of the 90’s look like the bust of the 30’s. The CNB was built to be slick and fast to match the polulux era that financed it. It boasted “air conditioning” and had escalators for it’s customers. The clock was the dream of George Thompson Jr. who was a clock enthusiast. He was the president of the CNB and wanted the clock and the building to make a statement about Fort Worth. The idea was, “our beginnings might have been composed of cows whisky and whores but let it be known that our 7th Street is the Wall Street of the West”. The post war years brought a boom of aviation, oil and culture to our dusty streets. And we put ourselves out there in bold letters by building the world’s largest clock on top of the world’s largest welded building. It was a “I dare you” statement to the world. In the present day we would say “in your face”. Fort Worth has always had that attitude, and it is the easterners who find our attitude to be obnoxious. We Fort Worthians would have it no other way. Amon set the pace, and even though he has been dead 50 years last June, the spirit he branded us with is still here. The CNB was not a wonder of architecture, but it was a representation of who we were.



#23334 Demolition of the Landmark Tower (380 ft., 420 with clock)

Posted by AlexIndia - JE Parris on 20 March 2006 - 01:29 AM in Fort Worth Architecture

Having worked on this project for the past year, we knew it was critical that we get good footage for us to continue with a documentary. Well, we had 12 different locations and 10 of them were far better than we expected. 2 of them were from the Fort Worth Club and the timers were not set for an early detination. Channel 5 ran some of our footage. We are still running in 5th gear. After the CNB came down we interviewed the man responsable for it all at the Hotel Texas. We asked Mr. Pettigrew on a scale of 1 to 10 how did he rate this event and he said "100". That says it all. XTO hired the best man for this job. We will begin the interview stage of our work in the comming weeks. If any of you out there have past photos of the CNB from the 50's through the 80's or perhaps even video or film and you would be willing to share it with us, please let me know. If you also know of an individual who would have historicle information and would like to be interviewed please let me know. My emial is joe@alexindia.net. The film company which will produce the documentary is Lone Star Film and Video. For us the project is not over. We are trying to balance the film between the history of 7th Street and the science of the implosion. This forum has been very enjoyable to read and am glad so much is shared. Thank you all.



#22920 Demolition of the Landmark Tower (380 ft., 420 with clock)

Posted by AlexIndia - JE Parris on 12 March 2006 - 01:38 AM in Fort Worth Architecture

Been reading some of the latest posts. regarding where to be... I have been at about every site far and near and have gone over the closed zones with all involved. Here is what I am telling my family and friends. if you know some one in an upper story who faces the CNB and is out of the closed zone, then plan to be there realy early. If you don't have a spot like that, then get far away. Go back to the Freeway to the east or the south. there are gaps in the buildings where you can see most of the CNB from. You will have a better view and you will be able to get back home faster. The closed zone will be so far back that both trafic and other spectators will crowd the view. Then, depending on the wind, the dust could realy be thick. Trafic will be like after the fireworks on the fourth of July... all in all my advice, unless you are an XTO guest or the media or have a penthouse, is to go about a mile or two out. get a lawn chair and enjoy the show. Besides, far away you will see the whole thing and as big as it is, when it crumbles the debree will still be prety tall. I remember as a boy watching the Worth Hotel come down. The crowed was allowed closer in in those days... it was also a smaller building too.




#22827 Demolition of the Landmark Tower (380 ft., 420 with clock)

Posted by AlexIndia - JE Parris on 09 March 2006 - 05:27 PM in Fort Worth Architecture

QUOTE(360texas @ Mar 9 2006, 04:43 PM) View Post

Greetings Joseph Edgar Parris, and welcome to the forum.

Ok.. I will admit I am not timid and please take this kindly as we do not want to intrude... but

Any chance of a few of us poor forum members joining one of your crews locations ? We are strictly NOT commercial.... and any imaging would probably not go outside this forum area.

I had to ask.. as other forum members are probably thinking the same question.

Thank you in advance.

Dave still at 360Texas.com
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth 817.346.4384


That is a good question. We have 7 high end commercial cameras and a few more that are consumer grade (used for black and white and effect shots) The producers and I are going over some of the logistics tonight of camera position and who will be where. Some camera experiance would be required I am sure. beyond that we might need some help. I will know more after tommarow. In the morning we are meeting with fire and policeI will let you know. Never hurts to ask. The Fire and Police are doing a great job on the implosion and realy exemplifies the difference between our city and others. The Police and Fire have had a great relationship with the folks at XTO and the MidWest Company. The implosion will go smooth. XTO has worked real hard to make the place safe and protect the properties around it.



#22805 Demolition of the Landmark Tower (380 ft., 420 with clock)

Posted by AlexIndia - JE Parris on 09 March 2006 - 01:12 PM in Fort Worth Architecture

QUOTE(DrkLts @ Mar 9 2006, 12:27 PM) View Post

It's been said this is the largest building to be imploded in Texas. Has any other office building as tall or taller than the Landmark been imploded anywhere else in the U.S.?

Also, with the Landmark being imploded, you would think a film crew would be on hand to tape this event for stock footage in some future action movie. Something like this implosion doesn't happen everyday, has word spread to Hollywood? wink.gif


My name is Joseph Edgar Parris and I have been working for the past year doing research on the CNB, (I know is is Landmark Tower but being born in Fort Worth it has always been the CNB to me) Lone Star Film is one one my clients and they are doing a 30 minute documentary film on the CNB, it's birth life and the implosion. This film will be submited to PBS and divisions of the History Channel. We plan for it to be finished by the late Summer / Fall of this year. I have been doing allot of the networking and preproduction work since Feb of last year. We began working on the CNB by accident. We began doing research on the "7th Street gang and Amon Carter" but found that it was a much larger bite and will require allot more research and time. The CNB project came out of that however. I have not read this entire forum, but plan to. We have cameras planted on several buildings and some distence shots. We will do interviews in the coming weeks after it comes down. I spoke with Densmore a few minutes ago and he will be in the film. The hard date is confirmed for the 18th of March.