A Plano landmark came down Sunday morning as crews demolished the former Electronic Data Systems headquarters in a controlled implosion.
The demolition clears the way for AT&T to develop a new corporate campus on the property near Legacy Drive and Parkwood Boulevard, just east of The Shops at Legacy.
The main building of the former EDS campus was demolished at about 8 a.m. on Sunday. The implosion sent a large cloud of dust and debris into the air as the longtime structure collapsed.
The city had warned nearby residents and businesses to expect a loud boom, brief ground vibrations and temporary road closures surrounding the demolition site.
A city spokesperson said residents who heard the implosion or felt the vibration did not need to call 911 because the demolition was planned. Police, fire-rescue personnel and other city officials were stationed at the site during the operation.
The sound was reportedly heard in areas well beyond the immediate vicinity, with some residents on social media saying they heard the boom from as far away as Frisco.
The property has a significant place in North Texas’ technology history.
Technology executive and former presidential candidate Ross Perot purchased the site in the 1980s. Electronic Data Systems, the company he founded, opened its headquarters there in 1992.
EDS became one of the region’s prominent technology companies and helped establish the Legacy area as an important corporate and business center.
The demolition represents a major step toward redevelopment of the property, which AT&T plans to use for a new corporate campus.
The future development will add to the concentration of major corporate offices in the Legacy area, which has undergone substantial commercial and residential growth in recent decades.
The former EDS headquarters had stood as a prominent landmark in Plano for decades. Its demolition marks the end of another chapter in the area’s technology history while clearing the site for AT&T’s next phase of development.
Provided by Dallas Express
