By Darren Loo, Aug. 30, 2022
The CLA Building, also known as “the pointy building” was once an icon of Cal Poly Pomona, seen from almost everywhere on campus. Students would use the CLA building as a landmark to give directions around campus or to meet up with friends as it was so easy to spot. Although symbolic to the school, it was plagued with mechanical issues, high maintenance and upkeep costs, along with being atop the San Jose Fault line — warranting the removal of the building. The demolition of the CLA building began in March, where contractors started demolishing the interior of the building — taking plumbing, fire alarms and electricals out.
To avoid disruptions to the spring semester, the hard demolition phase was left for the summer, where contractors quickly but painstakingly disassembled the building from top to bottom using a crane and excavators. Imploding the build-ing wasn’t an option because of the adjacent buildings and the Aratani Japanese Garden being right next to the tower. After demolition, the site of the iconic CLA building will become a green space where students can study and rest.
Photos and captions compiled by staff writer Darren Loo.
