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Officials Scrambling to Get Dangerous Building Torn Down in Heart of Edina VIDEO

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Video and story by Echo Menges

Local officials and the citizens of Edina have been buzzing about the recent and rapid deterioration of a historic building, known to locals as the old Stage Coach Pizza, at 100 South Main Street in the heart of Edina, which is located on the southeast corner of Main Street and East Lafayette Street (Highway 6).

On Monday, May 2, 2016 it was decided to close the sidewalks around the building after a meeting between the Edina Chief of Police, Knox County Commissioners and Mayor of Edina.

According to a representative of the City of Edina the building is owned by Bill and Anita Woodburn of Birch Tree, MO.

“We’ve been watching it for the last few weeks. The Commissioners and Mayor have been looking at it. It’s moved quite a bit. Over the last few weeks it has gotten a lot worse,” said Edina Police Chief Kelly Hayes. “It’s my understanding the owners are wanting to give it to the City and we don’t want it. We are not calling in an inspector at this time. We’ve already told them it’s not structurally sound. The city is assuming no responsibility for that building.”

Chief Hayes has notified existing business owners near to the building about the danger and informed them the building is unsound.

According to Knox County Historian and President of the Knox County Historical Society Brent Karhoff, the building is on the National Registry of Historic Places.

“It was built initially as a saloon,” said Karhoff. “It was built in the early twentieth century. It was used as a Klondike restaurant and then it was used by the Citizens Bank in 1916.”

According to Chief Hayes, City and County officials are working to find a way to get the building torn down.

“I love our buildings and I hate to see this happen. It’s sad. We want to preserve as much as possible, but we’ve got to protect the existing businesses on that block. I don’t know what to do, but anything we can do to help save our town. Anything we can do – we’ll do,” said Chief Hayes.