Update: If it helps, this is *not* an anti-demolition story. It's about private property rights, eminent domain, and government bureaucrats (as well as other conservative themes.) The demo crew are not the "bad guys".

Hello. My name is Carolyn Criss. I am an author doing research for a novel. I would appreciate any assistance you can offer regarding the following situation.

(I'll try to post a photo on the next message.)

The hypothetical area is a small hotel (three story; built in the sixties) and a series of shops adjacent to a four-lane road. The tourist location faces a beach approximately eighty feet from the face of the hotel. Behind the buildings, a residential section sprawls up the hill.

Demolition Day
1) The owners of the hotel are the last to leave. How many days preparation does the demo company need? (We'll presume they've had time to prep the rest of the block)

2) What kind of equipment? Excavator? Is the job too small for explosives?

3) How big would the blocked off/secure area need to be? Would residents in the area behind have to evacuate for the day? Could people watch the demolition from the beach?

4) Would the demolition take days?

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks

-Carolyn