J.R. Ramon & Sons

Staff

Austin saw their last reminder of the dot-com crash come crashing down Feb. 25. J.R. Ramon & Sons, a San Antonio demolition contractor, oversaw the implosion of the abandoned shell of the Intel building in downtown Austin. Intel had begun construction of the 10-story building at Fifth and San Antonio streets in 2000 during the last days of the high-tech boom, but the project was abandoned in 2001 when it had reached only six stories of concrete columns and decking. The U.S. General Services Administration purchased the property in 2002 with the plans of building a new federal building on the site. Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects have designed the 230,000-square-foot courthouse, which makes innovative use of ceiling height and an efficient area-to-volume ratio.