HARTFORD, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — A more than a century-old building in the city of Hartford in Van Buren County is now a pile of rubble after a partial collapse.
The front of the former Gleason Building at the corner of Center and Main Street came tumbling down around 3 p.m. Thursday, possibly due to a leaky roof rotting away at the structure’s supports.
Nobody was injured. Hartford’s Mayor Richard Hall says the building has been vacant and was up for a potential sale.
The building was built in 1895 and was one of only seven or eight original buildings left in the town.
First responders blocked off the street throughout the day on Thursday.
Now city officials are working on finding a crew to tear down the rest of the standing building and clean up the damage.
Jane Danger shared the above photo on Facebook calling it, ““BEAUTY & THE BEAST.” She wrote, “When this building is demolished along with the other 2 scheduled on the south side of Main Street; we will have accumulated 7 vacant lots within a one block stretch. This is truly sad.”
