“There it goes. Whooo!”
Dave Ronning recorded the big moment on his phone.
“It fell just like it was supposed to Hun.”
The 100-year-old former Bank Building at 880 First Street has been empty for years, stripped of everything but the floors and 5 stories of steel girders. Mayor Ken Johnson says it was nicknamed the Skeleton Building:
“The building, conditions worsened, continued to deteriorate each year.”
Some developers saw potential for the property, but no one could follow through. Finally, Jay Kilgo and the other commissioners decided demolition was the best option.
“Just want to get rid of all of the eyesores in Muskegon.”
Instead of explosives, the demolition crew weakened support beams and powerful bulldozers pulled down the building. After removing the rubble, the lot will be available for development. In the meantime, converted into what the city calls a “passive recreation space” with grass and picnic tables.
“It’s a little bittersweet seeing this come down. Would like to see blight redeveloped. If we can’t get it redeveloped, then unfortunately it may have to come down.”
