Miami’s Mandarin Demolished to Make Way for Luxury Towers
The former Mandarin Oriental hotel following an implosion on April 12.
Photographer: Zak Bennett/Bloomberg
In a young city like Miami, a quarter century can seem like a long time. For the Mandarin Oriental hotel, it was long enough to generate nostalgic laments and a farewell bash.
The waterfront hotel, which opened in 2000, was imploded early Sunday to make way for a new luxury development that will include a bigger Mandarin Oriental and a 66-story residential tower. The existing 23-story structure folded in on itself just after 8:30 a.m. after the explosives were detonated, as onlookers took video from boats in Biscayne Bay and along nearby streets and bridges.