Toxic Stadium Implosion Stopped

In 2014, Bayview Hunters Point residents and environmental justice advocates were shocked to learn that real estate developer Lennar corporation (which had already been fined $500,000 for exposing San Franciscans to toxic dust in its Bayview condo construction projects) was planning to stir up vastly more toxic dust by taking down the abandoned Candlestick Stadium with a massive, explosives triggered, implosion demolition.

The resulting heavily contaminated dust plume would have exposed all of San Francisco, other cities, and wildlife throughout the Bay Area, to airborne asbestos, lead, silica, and other dangerous particulates.

Last Minute Lennar Betrayal To Save Costs

The implosion plan was a last minute change being made to save money, when Lennar had previously committed to dismantle the stadium much more safely using workers and machines.

With the Bayview Hunters Point already experiencing the highest dust pollution and respiratory illnesses in the city, neighborhoods, organizations, and union construction workers quickly sprang into action to put a stop to Lennar's unacceptable demolition plan.

Unified Opposition To Dangerous Implosion

The Bayview Hill Neighborhood Association, Candlestick Point Neighborhood Committee, Our City, and other organizations, spoke in hearings and to the media against the demolition plan, in order to activate the public and decision makers against it.

The final blow to the plan came on January 15, 2015 when the San Francisco Building and Construction Trades Council unanimously adopted a resolution drafted by Our City and the Laborers Union Local 261 to oppose the implosion.

With neighborhood, labor, and environmental groups all united in opposition, Lennar dropped the implosion plan and dismantled the stadium more safely.

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For more on Lennar's history of corporate abuses see page 3 of our Fall 2007 Update.