BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – The demolition of a building in downtown Beckley is slowly progressing.
The structure at 227 Prince Street had been unused for some time and showed signs of dilapidation. Eventually, the city put up a barricade around the street in case the building saw a partial collapse. Soon after, debris began falling from the building and the city voted to fully demolish it.
Now that demolition has officially begun, but according to Billie Trump with the City of Beckley, the workers have had to start the process by hand.
“As they examined the building, it was in worse condition than they anticipated,” Trump said. “What they have had to do is get on top of it and take it apart by hand, as opposed to using the heavy equipment they generally use.”
A large pile of debris can be seen stacked on the side of the building as the workers throw out parts piece by piece. They have to do it this way to ensure there is minimal damage caused to the surrounding area.
“That process is well along the way. They’re taking great pains to make sure no material affects the surrounding buildings or anyone driving by.”
This process is slower than just using machinery from the get-go, but it is much safer. Trump says the workers should be able to speed up the process soon as they clear out the top floor.
“Now they’re getting to a point where they can probably move in some of their machinery, and the demolition will go much quicker.”
The demolition site is expected to be cleaned up within the next few weeks.
