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Extreme Makeover in Seminole

New start in a cloud of dust

Crowds gather to cheer on a TV show's demolition crew, which is helping a family get a new custom home after a tragic shooting.

By CHASE SQUIRES
Published March 9, 2005

[Times photo: Cherie Diez] A camera crew films as demolition work begins on the Dolan home. Heavy equipment reduced the ranch-style house to rubble in less than 10 minutes. Workers hoped to pour concrete so framing could begin today.

[Times photo: Cherie Diez] A crowd of onlookers pushes up against a barricade to catch a glimpse of Ty Pennington, the design team leader for ABC's series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, in Seminole on Tuesday. Demolition began Tuesday on James Dolan's home. Dolan was blinded after being shot at RadioShack in November.

[Times photo: Cherie Diez] Tim Dolan, right, James Dolan's brother, watches as a demolition crew starts taking down the walls of his childhood home on 99th Way N. Family friend Kim Grawcock watches with him.

SEMINOLE - After what seemed like an eternity of "hurry up and wait," a crowd gathered at the site of the ongoing Extreme Makeover: Home Edition taping roared as heavy equipment pounded a ranch house into rubble in less than 10 minutes Tuesday.

Extreme Makeover crews have been at the 99th Way N home of James Dolan since Sunday, set on razing and rebuilding Dolan's 1960s-era ranch house for an upcoming episode of the popular ABC-TV reality show.

Dolan, 30, was blinded Nov. 18 in a shooting at the St. Petersburg RadioShack where he worked. Two others died before the gunman killed himself. ABC is working with Lexington Homes to replace the home Dolan shares with his wife and three children, creating a custom house to help him deal with his new disability.

Crowds began gathering behind barricades about 7 a.m., ready for what promised to be one of the most action-packed days in the seven-day process.

Hundreds of volunteers, family friends and co-workers surrounded Lexington Homes president Craig Gallagher for a predemolition pep rally. Camera crews shot and reshot scenes of cheering volunteers before star Ty Pennington rolled up, trademark bullhorn in hand.

"From a personal level, being able to go ahead and do something that will have such an impact is really special," Gallagher shouted to his crew as he stood on the track of a backhoe.

"Are we ready to get it done?" he screamed, his voice breaking like politician Howard Dean. "Are we ready to get ... it ... done?"

The volunteers roared back, waving hammers, hatchets and crowbars as cameras made repeated passes to capture just the right amount of cheering.

When the television magic was over, the heavy equipment moved in. A backhoe's first bite ripped a gaping hole in the roof. The Dolans, tucked away for the week at a resort in Puerto Rico, would have been shocked to see how quickly their house came apart.

In minutes, the house was a mound of rubble.

Gallagher said his crews planned to use quick-drying concrete to lay a pad overnight, and framers expect to start putting up walls by this morning. Lexington Homes CEO Craig Fiebe said the finished house will be worth at least $400,000, not including appliances and furniture, with much of the material and labor donated by manufacturers, retailers and tradespeople. ABC officials say homeowners are aware they should be prepared for higher property taxes (because of the newer, bigger homes) and potentially higher utility costs.

ABC said the builders will help raise cash for those kinds of immediate expenses "Well into the six figures," according to producer Tom Forman, and Gold Bank announced a community donation drive for the childrens' education (information at www.goldbank.com) Progress Energy spokesman C.J. Drake said the utility provided technicians to help ensure an efficient design, and Tuesday an insurance company started asking about providing free homeowners insurance.

David Goldberg, president of Extreme Makeover production company Endemol, said at a briefing last summer that federal tax laws exempt homeowners from income taxes on improvements done to their property while leasing it for a television show.

Fiebe said no matter how high building costs go, workers Tuesday were prepared for anything, and builders were determined to meet Sunday's deadline.

"We don't know what the total bill will be," he said. "Whatever it is, we're prepared for it."

[Last modified March 9, 2005, 11:28:20]