NEW ORLEANS - City officials announced Friday they plan to implode what remains of the collapsed Hard Rock Hotel in March, according to WWL-TV.

New Orleans Fire Department Superintendent Timothy McConnell told reporters Friday the city believes imploding the structure is the safest option. The previous plan from the developer entailed a year-long timeline that that would have seen the building torn down piece by piece.

BREAKING: Hard Rock Hotel will be imploded.

It’s a huge change to the last plan from the developer, submitted on Christmas Eve, which called for a one-year timeline to demolish building piece by piece. Cantrell said it presented safety concerns. #HardRockCollapse @WWLTV pic.twitter.com/v0r9btBfcR

— Devin Bartolotta (@devinbartolotta) January 17, 2020

Mayor Latoya Cantrell said she plans to have the implosion done before French Quarter Fest and Jazz Fest. 

Debris removal at the site is expected to take another two to three months.