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The Killer Crane that is chomping our heritage at the nearly century-old Sequoia Apartments, which burned last Friday, is owned by a demolition company that bills itself, "clearing the way to the future." 

It now remains unclear what the future will hold for Haste at Telegraph, which is seen by many as a Berkeley landmark itself—Berkeley's center. Indeed we so named the area in a Planet Piece ("Finding Berkeley's Center," Dec 23, 2008). 

The Sequoia had an eleventh-hour stay, Monday, while City fire and Insurance investigators poured over the remains for cause of the fire, but early Tuesday, the crane began its reign of destruction. 

A shivering crowd showed up at 8 a.m. Tuesday and watched in horror as the killer crane swung into position to destroy the Sequoia, using its jaws to grasp pivotal sections of the building and tear them down. 

As we huddled in a dark, foggy, cold morning mist, the combination of crane and "jaw" formed a veritable Jawzilla, a punitive weapon of mass destruction. 

Using its camera eyes, and manipulated from a cab by the crane's operator, who seemed, at times, to be playing with a giant toy, Jawzilla took its toll, all the while spitting water to quell the dust it stirred up. 

There were ahs and ohs from the crowd as Jawzilla seemed to falter at first, having trouble realizing its potential for ruination; but once a slow, killing rhythm was established, the conquering contraption began its systematic course of mayhem. 

Have no doubt, this was a heartbreaking scene, as the beautiful old landmark was scarred beyond recognition. And when large chunks of the building were dislodged, plunging to the ground with the clamor of falling bricks, swirling dust, and gushing water, the scene turned scary. 

Rubble built up on the sidewalk below, protected by plywood, like the ruins of Nazi Germany. 

The scene was so dispiriting it was difficult to see any upside to the downside. 

But there is an upside. 

Often criticized for allowing the Berkeley Inn (burned to the ground, 1985) site to go undeveloped for 26 years, the city of Berkeley has been quick to respond, to the plight of the already struggling lower Telegraph business area. Pleas to save the Sequoia by the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association, which made an 11th hour appeal to the city on the Sequoia's behalf, gave way to "public safety." 

The city's quick action has made it possible (at the Sequoia's expense) for a walkway connecting Haste to Channing, presently blocked, to be restored in no more than two weeks (perhaps less), in time for the Telegraph Ave. Holiday Street Fair, Dec. 16-24, which always increases foot traffic in local businesses. 

Moreover, there are signs that things could improve at the Cody site, which has been undergoing a lengthy, if routine, retrofit. 

Across the street at the Berkeley Inn site, its owner has reportedly commissioned yet another round of architect plans for a building at the site. 

According to reliable sources, the owners of Intermezzo, and Raleigh's intend to restore the left-standing businesses, as soon as possible. 

Nothing to get worked up over, just the glimmer of hope. And possibly the ghost of a chance that Telegraph and Haste can stem its decline and once more be Berkeley's center. 

It was erroneously reported here that the first floor of the Sequoia would be spared. 

All that will remain of the building according to Fredo Pena, the demolition crew-chief, is a "wall," at ground level. 

The wall is the facades of the popular Raleigh's pub and the Intermezzo cafe and coffee shop, which were not destroyed by the fire. 

According to Pena, the demolition crew chief , it will take three to five more days to knock down the Sequoia. A walkway connecting Haste to Channing, which has been blocked since the fire, will be complete when the sequoia site is safe to passersby, according to Pena. 

That will take two weeks maximum, said Pena Tuesday. 

The Killer Crane will be back to deal out more mass destruction Wednesday.