OCALA, FL (352today.com) – An iconic building in Downtown Ocala has been torn down.
On Wednesday, September 18, 2024, Tommy Amodeo, owner of A&A Demolition and Excavation – The Art of Destruction, started the demolition of the old Ocala Lincoln Mercury dealership.
During the demolition, the debris was carefully managed with a focus on sustainability. Most of the materials were set aside for recycling on-site. Concrete pieces were crushed right on the property and will be used to create the base for the new parking lot. Additionally, recycled asphalt will be used to finish this environmentally friendly project.
The Ocala Lincoln Mercury dealership shut down in 2010 after Ford Motor Co. discontinued the Mercury brand. The dealership had been a downtown staple for 42 years.
The building that once housed WTMC-AM 1290 was also torn down. “WTMC was Ocala’s first radio station and went on the air in 1939,” says Larry Whitler, who worked there in the early 1990s. Whitler says that “WTMC” stood for “Welcome To Marion County.”
This project is expected to take five to six weeks to complete and will help create better parking options in the busy center of Ocala.