Frank Leu Building
Montgomery, Alabama
 In August of
1996, Improvement Group, Inc. acquired the Frank Leu Building, a 10 story
office building located in downtown Montgomery, Alabama. The company
planned renovate the building by demolishing the interior of the 80,000
square foot structure leaving the exterior walls and support structure.
Company management researched the success and viability of such extensive
renovations, calling on many expert local sources and traveling to Paris
to view similar projects. They determined that a combination of office
space and residential condominium units was a feasible use of the
property.
Plans were being developed to that end when, in December of 1996, the
City of Montgomery through its agent, approached Improvement Group, Inc.
with an unsolicited offer to purchase the property. Management rejected
that offer.
In the following months, the City of Montgomery acquired all of the
property adjacent to the Frank Leu Building for its planned
downtown riverfront development. In
March 1997, the city again approached management with a new offer to
purchase the property. Recognizing the pending condemnation, Improvement
Group entered into negotiations to sell the property to the city. The city
demolished the building shortly after the purchase was finalized.
News articles on the
renovation,
implosion pictures and
implosion story.
|
