2 days ago
NewsChannel 9 goes inside the demolition zone as century-old brick warehouse stands for final days
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — It's been long considered the gateway to Downtown Syracuse from the city's west, but now wrecking crews are in the final stages of bringing down what a judge once called a 'danger to life.'
Once the home of Central City Provisions, the warehouse that was once cold storage for meat and ice cream, is being brought down by demolition contractors based on a judge's order.
NewsChannel 9 was allowed access into the work zone.
After the century-old building became vacant, it became more than a decade of problems.
Jake Dishaw, the City of Syracuse's deputy commissioner for zoning administration and code enforcement, has been in the department since he joined a high school part-timer. In that time, the building acquired the nickname 'Big Red' among city staff.
Ten years ago, the west side of the structure collapsed under the weight of snow.
'Since then, there's been numerous break-ins, a couple of fires, people in and out all the time,' said Dishaw.
When the east side of it started coming down, it threw bricks into traffic on West Street down below.
After the owner delayed his own demolition, a State Supreme Court justice gave the city the go-ahead. The Common Council allowed the city to borrow $1.8 million, which will be billed to the owner.
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