Workers remove cars from collapsed waterfront building

Deepa Bharath

Workers used chains Friday to pull out four cars that were trapped in

a lower level parking structure of a collapsed building near Rhine

Channel in Newport Beach.

The garage of a 23-year-old building on Lafayette Street caved in Nov.

6, when a rusty support beam gave way. The parking structure snapped off

the main office building and tipped toward the bay, a portion of it

resting on the shallow end of the bay.

On the day of the collapse, one car was partially submerged. As days

went by, two more cars slipped partially under the water. The cars had

slid away from their parked positions after the floor caved in.

Demolition of the building -- which was declared unsafe by the city --

will begin Wednesday, contractor Jeff Tanner said Friday.

It was originally scheduled for Monday, but has been postponed because

city staff want to review the demolition plan, he said.

“Originally we were planning to bring in barges to bring down the

building,” Tanner said. “But now it looks like we may just do it by hand.

We don’t know yet.”

Work has been going on for a week to prepare for the demolition.

Utilities were disconnected, furniture and other things were removed

from the building, and shoring work was done. Officials said the

demolition that could cost more than $100,000 is a tricky, challenging

and unique project because of the water, tides and the sea wall.