A smokestack that has stood along the St. Paul riverfront for more than 90 years came crashing down in a cloud of dust Sunday morning. The 289-foot-tall smokestack was part of the Island Station power plant, which has been vacant for more than 40 years. The facility, which overlooks the Mississippi River near Shepard Road and Randolph Avenue, is being demolished to make way for new development. Explosives were used to bring down the structure. The charges sounded three quick booms and crumbled the building attached to the smokestack, causing it to fall. The property's former owners, Breckner River Development of Burnsville, had been trying to sell it for years. Last summer they successfully fought efforts to have it designated locally as a historic property. The plant had repeatedly failed to win federal historic status. It was purchased last fall by St. Paul River Walk of Scottsdale, Ariz., for $4.05 million. Developers haven't yet mentioned plans for the site. The full demolition work is expected to be finished by late spring, city officials have said.
A St. Paul landmark was brought down with a blast on Sunday morning March 16, 2014. (Dml - Star Tribune Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
A St. Paul landmark was brought down with a blast on Sunday morning March 16, 2014. A coal-fired power plant on the Mississippi River, upstream from downtown St. Paul. The 10-story building was topped by a 180-foot smokestack. The blast was at 10 a.m. Sunday. in St. Paul, MN. ] JERRY HOLT jerry.holt@startribune.com (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
A St. Paul landmark was brought down with a blast on Sunday morning March 16, 2014. A coal-fired power plant on the Mississippi River, upstream from downtown St. Paul. The 10-story building was topped by a 180-foot smokestack. The blast was at 10 a.m. Sunday. in St. Paul, MN. ] JERRY HOLT jerry.holt@startribune.com (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
A St. Paul landmark, the 10-story Island Station power plant with its smokestack, came down with a blast at 10 a.m. Sunday. The more-than-90-year-old coal-fired plant was along the Mississippi River, upstream from downtown St. Paul, an area scheduled for development. Demolition will be completed by late spring. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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![A St. Paul landmark was brought down with a blast on Sunday morning March 16, 2014. A coal-fired power plant on the Mississippi River, upstream from downtown St. Paul. The 10-story building was topped by a 180-foot smokestack. The blast was at 10 a.m. Sunday. in St. Paul, MN. ] JERRY HOLT jerry.holt@startribune.com](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/W3F7G3V5JTWG5TI7FD3FBZ2NPE.jpg?&w=1080)
![A St. Paul landmark was brought down with a blast on Sunday morning March 16, 2014. A coal-fired power plant on the Mississippi River, upstream from downtown St. Paul. The 10-story building was topped by a 180-foot smokestack. The blast was at 10 a.m. Sunday. in St. Paul, MN. ] JERRY HOLT jerry.holt@startribune.com](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/OXQDRE5CY7HH7JS5QYBAMEYORU.jpg?&w=1080)
![A St. Paul landmark was brought down with a blast on Sunday morning March 16, 2014. A coal-fired power plant on the Mississippi River, upstream from downtown St. Paul. The 10-story building was topped by a 180-foot smokestack. The blast was at 10 a.m. Sunday. in St. Paul, MN. ] JERRY HOLT jerry.holt@startribune.com](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/OSFMHQWG2XRGEAABLOBYUS7HZI.jpg?&w=1080)
