[Times photo: Ken Helle]
Two engineers Wednesday peer down at damage to the Bank of America Plaza.

TAMPA -- Work crews began repairing the exterior of the concrete and marble Bank of America Plaza building Wednesday, lowering themselves down one side of the 42-story skyscraper to clear away loose debris and tape up cracked windows.

The downtown high-rise was damaged Saturday by a small Cessna aircraft piloted by a teenage boy flying a suicide mission.

The damage, considered relatively minor, was centered on the 28th floor. The plane had smashed into the office of an attorney, who was not at work at the time. The 15-year-old pilot died in the crash, which left the plane's tale protruding from the window.

Workers on Wednesday boarded up the windows from inside the law office, as well as those directly above and below. Investigators had smashed open the 27th floor window to pull the rest of the aircraft into the building, cut it into pieces and haul it away.

Harnessed work crews also wiped the windows around the impact area to rid it of dirt and fuel. They taped up several windows that had been cracked by falling debris.

Insurance is expected to cover the cost of damages. An amount had not been determined Wednesday. It will be at least six weeks before the building is restored to its original condition because the materials need to be ordered, said Harry Costello, a spokesman for the company that manages the building.

In the meantime, part of Ashley Street between Kennedy Boulevard and Jackson Street, which had been closed to traffic since the crash, may reopen later today.

"The city ... would like to have it open," he said. "Not to mention all of us who travel up and down that street."

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