Paul Bass Photo
The public had an opportunity to take a free trip down deep into downtown history — or make off with John Deere vehicles.
The opportunity arose at 19 Elm St., where a developer’s demolition crew has reduced the old Harold’s Bridal Shop into rubble en route to building 96 market-rate apartments.
A construction fence previously blocked passersby from viewing and walking through the rubble. Then the fence blew over.
“We were made aware this morning that the wind blew the rental fence over this weekend. I was just informed, that there will be personnel there later today to put it back up,” C.J. Otto of the Bethany-based demolition contractor Complete Environmental Services LLC reported Monday at 12:10 p.m.
The fence remained down as of 4 p.m. Monday, revealing a landscape of concrete debris, hazardous chopped-apart-metal …
… vehicles for the taking by anyone who knows how to jumpstart them …
… and unguarded portals primed for perilously plunging to the bygone subterranean spaces of the purveyor of tuxedos, wedding gowns, and other formalwear.
Visitors maintaining their footing were treated to the ephemeral installations that often make for visual art delights at demolition sites. Update: As of roughly 6 p.m. Monday, the fence was back up around the demolition site.