Intel Shell

The Intel Shell was an unfinished Intel building located in Austin, Texas. It was imploded on February 25, 2007,^[1][2] and the Austin United States Courthouse now stands in its place.

Intel Shell
Intel Shell building before destruction
General information
Status	Demolished
Location	510 W 5th St. Austin, Texas
Address	400 West San Antonio Street, Austin, TX 78701
Town or city	Austin, TX
Country	United States
Coordinates	30.2681°N 97.7484°W / 30.2681; -97.7484
Groundbreaking	September 2000
Construction stopped	March 2001
Demolished	February 25, 2007
Cost	$124 million
Owner	Intel

History

The city of Austin had given Intel a $15 million incentive package for the construction of the building, intended to be a ten story chip-design center, built for $124 million. According to the The Austin Chronicle, "Winning the new Intel project symbolized all that was robust about Austin's economy and the revitalization of Downtown, in those high tech glory days."^[3]

Because of a slowing economy, construction stopped in March 2001, and the building was abandoned from March 2001 to 2004,^[3] becoming something of a symbol of the early 2000s recession.^[4][5] The abondoned building was a four story structure of steel and concrete decks.^[6] In 2004, the General Services Administration bought the site for the construction of a new courthouse.^[3]

The building was imploded a Sunday morning in 2007. Hundreds of spectators cheered the destruction. Mayor Will Wynn had made attempts to preserve the building.^[2]

Aftermath

After the demolition, an Austin man sold glass bottles with what he said was debris from the building, labeled "Intel Shell Inside".^[7] The construction of the Austin U.S. courthouse was completed in 2012.^[6]

The Austin United States Courthouse in 2018