With less then two weeks to go, a date has been set for the implosion of Knapp and Storms Halls.

“We had a three day window. It’s now set at the 19th,” said Kerry Dixon-Fox, architect for facilities planning and management.

The demolition is planned to begin at 10 a.m., with an “all clear” being given 15 to 20 minutes after the dust settles.

A public viewing area will be on either the east or west side of the Towers, depending on wind direction, although there will be no parking near the site.

The implosion will also be broadcast live on ISU-TV, channel 18.

Dixon-Fox said road closures will begin around 8 a.m. and last throughout most of the morning. Hayward Avenue will be blocked between Mortensen Road and Knapp Street. Welch Avenue south of Knapp Street will be closed.

Stanton Avenue and Lynn Avenue will be closed to the south of Baker Street. Storm Street and Donald Street will be closed west of Ash Avenue.

Dixon-Fox said Mortensen Road could be closed from Ash Avenue to State Street, although the City of Ames has not made a final decision.

She said Peterson Contractors Inc. of Reinbeck is almost finished prepping Knapp Hall for demolition and is making good progress on Storms Hall. Preparations include drilling more than 1,000 holes for explosives in each building and gutting the buildings to leave just a concrete and rebar shell.

Dixon-Fox said the demolition could be delayed because of high winds, which could affect the dust cloud the implosion is expected to generate.

A thunderstorm could also potentially delay the demolition, she said.

Dean McCormick, assistant director of construction services for facilities planning and management, said the size of the dust cloud should be minimized because the buildings will have been gutted.

Dixon-Fox said the dust cloud is comparable to the concentration of dust generated by a car driving down a gravel road. She said demolition subcontractor Controlled Demolition Inc. of Phoenix, Md. indicated the vibrations generated by the implosion should be minimal.

The site will be locked down by police and federal Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms personnel beginning two to three days before the implosion.

After explosives are moved on-site — the state fire marshall should also be present.

Dixon-Fox said residents of approximately 75 dwellings near Towers have been asked to leave their properties on the morning of the demolition.

The demolition itself will cost $1.475 million, according to a news release. Required renovations to the Towers hub, which will remain intact, will cost about $440,000, and $1 million has been spent on the handling and removal of various hazardous materials.