A Depression-era hotel was treated to a surprisingly sparkling sendoff, as a fireworks- and sparkler-infused implosion dropped the structure in high style.

Hundreds of spectators cheered the unusually festive implosion of the Wellington Hotel Annex at 9:30 a.m. Saturday (Aug. 23) in Albany, NY.

With a blast that signaled more of a beginning than an ending, the 11-story structure put on a show of red, white, yellow and blue, followed by sparklers and other fireworks, before it imploded in a cloud of beige.

The hotel was razed to make room for the forthcoming $66 million Albany Convention Center.

The fireworks were a surprise last-minute show arranged by Joseph Nicolla, owner of Columbia Development, which sold the $4.05 million parcel, according to the Albany Times-Union.

Nicolla enlisted Phil Grucci, who heads the nationally renowned Fireworks by Grucci, known for some record-setting displays.

"I thought that was a nice little surprise," Nicolla told the news outlet.