Demolition underway in downtown Gibson City

GIBSON CITY Two downtown eyesores are coming down in Gibson City.

Lee Farms Excavating this week started demolishing buildings at 103 and 105 S. Sangamon Ave., commonly referred to as the Michaels buildings.

Im really glad we are getting this cleaned up, said Randy Arends, who bought the properties for back taxes. Arends, owner of Gibson City Meats and Deli, rents the building next door to the condemned properties.

Crews began removing portions of 103 S. Sangamon by hand on Monday morning; by Wednesday afternoon, they were able to begin working with an excavator.

"We are bringing it down gently," said Ken Lee, co-owner of Lee Farms Excavating, to protect the neighboring building The Main Attraction that remains open during the work.

"There is a lot of hand work involved," said Lee, whose firm is from Onarga.

A crowd gathered Thursday morning to watch as the final portions of 103 S. Sangamon were removed.

Again, the crew worked slowly, taking the remaining wall down piece by piece and making sure the building did not collapse into D.G. Sullivan's, a short distance to the west.

One of those watching was Mayor Dan Dickey.

"It sure looks different," Dickey said of the vacant lots that remained. "Downtown will never be the same, but it needed to be done."

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Demolition underway in downtown Gibson City