LAKE CHARLES — The former Calcasieu Marine Tower, which dominated the Lake Charles skyline for more than four decades but became an eyesore after Hurricane Laura, was imploded Saturday.

The storm damaged the 22-story building in 2020, and its shattered remains stood as a testament to the storm's strength and the ongoing recovery.

Coordinated explosions crumbled the skyscraper into a six-story heap of concrete, steel and glass. A dust cloud settled over downtown, chasing onlookers who had gathered on the lake front to say goodbye to what once was a monument of an oil-and-gas heyday in the late 1970s.

Hurricane Laura ravaged southwestern Louisiana with 150 mph winds. The tower was about 30 miles from where the storm came ashore, and its height placed it directly in the path of Laura's worst. Its glass facade made it especially vulnerable.

At 310 feet, until 2005 the tower was by far the tallest building between Baton Rouge and Houston. The L'Auberge casino built 19 years ago on the west side of the city stands 343 feet tall.

The difference between the buildings is that the casino was repaired and the old tower wasn't.

The old Calcasieu Marine National Bank opened the building in 1982, and after an acquisition the tower eventually became known as the Capitol One Tower. The Hertz Investment Group later purchased the building and held it when Hurricane Laura hit. 

According to the Advocate newspaper, Hertz estimated repairs at $167 million and its insurer wouldn't pay for the full amount.