High winds stall demolition of historic Idaho Falls water tower

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — High winds have forced the City of Idaho Falls to postpone the demolition of the historic 1937 water tower. Originally scheduled to begin Friday morning, the demolition is now slated to start this coming Monday.

Today, crews have assembled a large crane to dismantle the 89-year-old structure, starting from the bowl. The entire project is still expected to wrap up by early February.

The original tower was shut down in October, following the completion of the new, million-gallon tower directly across the street, doubling the city's water storage capacity.

“This project is an important investment in the reliability and resiliency of Idaho Falls’ water system,” said Chris Fredericksen, Idaho Falls Public Works director, in a press release. “By replacing the 89-year-old tower, we are ensuring safe, reliable water service for our community for generations to come.”

While the tower is being removed to make way for modern infrastructure, the city will preserve specific portions of the original structure. However, most of the materials are slated to be recycled.