April 1, 2000 OVER TEN-THOUSAND PEOPLE GATHERED IN THE STREETS OF DOWNTOWN TODAY...TO SEE HISTORY IN THE MAKING. HUNDREDS OF POUNDS OF NITROGLYCERIN BASED EXPLOSIVES TAKE DOWN THE OLD S-D-G-AND-E BUILDING...TO MAKE WAY FOR THE PADRES NEW FIELD OF DREAMS. THE BUILDING WAS IMPLODED TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE AREA JUST SOUTH OF HOME PLATE. THE DRAMATIC DEMOLITION WENT DOWN WITHOUT A HITCH. THIS MORNING'S IMPLOSION WAS TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE PADRES BALLPARK PROJECT. THE IMPLOSION OF THE OLD S-D-G-AND-E BUILDING DOWNTOWN IS OUR TOP STORY TONIGHT ON NEWS EIGHT AT ELEVEN: PEOPLE PACKED THE STREETS OF DOWNTOWN TO WITNESS THE IMPRESSIVE IMPLOSION. A FIRST FOR AMERICA'S FINEST CITY. DEMOLITION CREWS WIRED UP THE 70-YEAR-OLD BUILDING...READY TO BRING IT DOWN IN A PILE OF RUBBLE AND DUST. WE HAVE TEAM COVERAGE OF TODAY'S IMPLOSION. MARIA VELASQUEZ HAS REACTIONS FROM THE CROWD...BUT WE BEGIN WITH NEWS EIGHT'S KATHY CHIN...WITH MORE ON THE BIG BOOM. August 12, 2000 A GOOD CROWD SHOWED UP TO SEE THE BUILDING COME DOWN. SO DID OUR COLLEEN RUDY. SHE'S LIVE AT THE SITE ON IMPERIAL AND 8-TH STREET WITH MORE. THE OLD SAN DIEGO REFRIGERATION BUILDING IS THE LAST MAJOR PHYSICAL OBSTACLE STANDING IN THE WAY OF THE PADRES NEW FIELD OF DREAMS. AS TIME GROWS NEAR FOR ITS DEMOLITION...FAMILIES GATHER IN WHAT WILL EVENTUALLY BE THE OUTFIELD TO SHARE THE HISTORY MAKING DAY. THEY ALL WANT TO SEE THE 5-STORY STRUCTURE REDUCED TO RUBBLE BY 350 POUNDS OF NITROGLYCERINE-BASED DYNAMTE.