With a 'nudge' and a crash, demolition of IRS facility under way

COVINGTON, Ky. – The first hole knocked into the side of the sprawling IRS “Flat Top” building in Covington on Monday came via a “nudge” more than a “punch” or “slash.”

Observers said it was almost gentle that way that O'Rourke Wrecking Co. construction site superintendent Chris Ferguson drove the Caterpillar excavator forward into position, flexed its massive claw, and then tapped against facility’s southern wall.

But there was no mistaking the result. The jarring sound of breaking glass and falling brick did what the obligatory speechifying could not: It signaled a definite AND definitive end to a five-decade era.

On Monday – not coincidentally known as Tax Day 2022 – the City of Covington held a quick ceremony to mark the official start to the demolition of the complex where thousands of IRS employees processed tax returns from 1967 until 2019.

The ceremony began with Mayor Joe Meyer – flanked by a handful of state legislators and Vice Mayor Ron Washington – saying a few words about the site’s history and the vision for the future, and O’Rourke’s vice president of operations Jeff Sizemore vowing to direct a painless and smooth site-clearing process.

The ceremony ended with about two minutes of work by Ferguson to knock a hole in the wall and then the roof … and onlookers’ cheers.

For more photos, see the City’s Facebook post, HERE. For a video of the demolition, see HERE.

For more about the day and the project, see the City’s Covington Central Riverfront Development webpage.

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