DEMOLITION BEGINS ON TOP SHOP

The month of April has been a very busy one at the top of Grandfather Mountain with the landscape at the summit dramatically changing.

Friday, March 28 brought the trek to get the temporary Top Shop to its home for the next year near the Swinging Bridge. The temporary shop, a double-wide trailer built to withstand hurricane-force winds, ended up having to park at Black Rock parking lot over the weekend due to high winds that prevented the building’s final ascent.

The final trip to the top was made Wednesday, April 2 and in a few days the building was in place and strapped down with steel cables to help it endure Grandfather’s winds.

Over the next few weeks Grandfather Mountain employees worked to empty the Top Shop building. The majority of the merchandise from the store went into storage while a small amount was moved into the temporary Top Shop. The Mountain’s communication equipment was moved to a small shed located near the building.

After employees had emptied the building, the facility was turned over to Greene Construction for the final preparations for demolition. Fixtures were removed and the large water tank located behind the building was moved to a different location.

After employees had emptied the building, the facility was turned over to Greene Construction for the final preparations for demolition. Fixtures were removed and the large water tank located behind the building was moved to a different location.

A small ceremony was then held outside the Top Shop and included speeches from Grandfather Mountain President Crae Morton, Vice President Harris Prevost, Top Shop Manager Thomas Huskins and Bill Dixon from Appalachian Architecture. Past and present employees of the Mountain were also on hand to witness the event.

The speakers reminisced on the famous people that had set foot in the Top Shop, the extreme weather it had endured and other personal stories.

Once the ceremony was over the demolition crew went back to work removing the awning over the front stairs. The entire demolition process will take days.

On Thursday afternoon the top half of the Mountain was cleared and the demolition crew used the track hoe to tear down the three-story side of the building that is closest to the Swinging Bridge.

During the month of April construction projects have been on or ahead of schedule.

“Let me tell you, this is not usually the norm for construction,” said Project Manager Mike Best from Greene Construction. “So far we have only had a few delays due to weather and other circumstances and those are to be expected.”

Grandfather Mountain’s Top Shop has been in place since 1961. Due to 47 years of abuse from Grandfather’s weather and expected wear and tear over the years, the building has been in need of an update.

The new building, designed by Appalachian Architecture and built by Greene Construction, both of Boone, NC will be a smaller, more efficient building and will provide elevator access to the Bridge area for handicapped guests.

The new building is projected to be finished spring 2009. Until then, the temporary building is in place to be used as a small gift shop.

To see regular updates as the project progresses, visit the Grandfather Mountain web site and click on the link to construction photos found in the right-hand column on the homepage.

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