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It became a social media sensation when it survived a demolition attempt earlier this month but the days of the so-called "Leaning Tower of Dallas" are coming to an end, much to the disappointment of some in the Texas city.
- The core of the tower was left standing on an angle after an implosion went wrong
- Demolition workers are making a second attempt to destroy it by using a wrecking ball
- An online petition to preserve what is left of the structure continues to attract signatures
The former Affiliated Computer Services building drew comparisons with Italy's Leaning Tower of Pisa — and earned a new nickname — when a February 16 implosion brought down only part of the structure, leaving it tilted off to one side.
But demolition workers made a second attempt at dismantling the 11-storey building on Monday by taking to it with a wrecking ball attached to a crane.
Even then, the "Leaning Tower of Dallas" proved hard to demolish and could be standing until the end of this week.
Dallas residents and tourists continue to take photos, including a variation of the popular Pisa photo that gives the illusion of a single person helping support the lopsided skyscraper.
As the second round of work began, an online petition to "save this landmark from destruction" continued to draw signatures.
"They're taking the wrecking ball and hitting the side of it over and over again, and it's still just ineffective," said Shawn Graybill, a 24-year-old who lives nearby.
"It's not knocking the tower down."
The "Leaning Tower of Dallas" was created when some of the original explosions failed to go off, according to De La Vega Development, which is overseeing the demolition.
The core of the tower, including its elevator shafts, was left standing.
The building is being demolished to make way for a $US2.5 billion ($3.78 billion) mixed-use project
Lloyd Nabors, whose company is handling the project, said the tower was leaning in the direction it was intended to fall and there are no safety concerns.
But the company has revised its previous work estimates by saying the process could take up to four days to complete.
It will extend the life of the Leaning Tower of Dallas, which has temporarily joined Reunion Tower, the Dallas Museum of Art and the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden as leading tourist attractions in the city where US president John F Kennedy was shot dead in 1963.
As for its better-known cousin in central Italy, the Leaning Tower of Pisa was first constructed during the 12th century as a cathedral's free-standing bell tower.
It is known for its almost four-degree lean due to its unstable foundation.
By 1990, the tilt had reached 5.5 degrees, but it has been stabilised in recent years, reducing the tilt to 3.97 degrees.
ABC/Agencies
Topics: building-and-construction, travel-and-tourism, social-media, united-states, italy