After eight decades of hosting sports games, dances and concerts, the Palo Alto High School Big Gym is no more.

Two excavators tore down the athletic facility this morning, and left the structure in pieces. In its place will be a new state-of-the-art sports complex.

Check out the Big Gym demolition in less than 13 seconds

A video posted by The Paly Voice (@thepalyvoice) on Sep 2, 2015 at 4:38pm PDT

“It’s going to be one incredible site when it’s finished,” Assistant Principal Jerry Berkson said. “We’re so excited to see what it will be like.”

The exterior demolition was met with excitement from First Period Physical Education students, who had the opportunity to watch for the first half of the period.

“I just thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a historic building go down and how they [the construction workers] do it,” PE teacher Peter Diepenbrock said. “There’s so much to learn and experience from it. I thought it’d be a very memorable experience for the students.”

Photos by Cooper Lou.