Historic preservation advocates are working overtime to find out a way to keep the Reid & Hughes building in tact.
But after glass fell from a window of the Main Street building in Norwich, some city leaders are saying it's definitely time for it to go.
"Had a big storm come through and in the morning, a bunch of glass from one of the windows came out," said Ryan Thompson, Public Works Director for the City of Norwich.
Thompson said up until about a week ago the windows seemed stable. It cost the city $3,500 in materials and labor to be preventative and board all of them up.
Inside are more potential hazards the city already knew about, including a roof that collapsed.
But Reid & Hughes is a historic building.
"Would love to see all of them saved. This one is in bad shape," Thompson said.
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"It is going to one day fall in on itself and before that happens and someone gets hurt, the city has a responsibility," said Alderwoman Stacy Gould.
Gould said the council voted 5 to 2 to bond up to $800,000 to take the building down. She said development plans have fallen through before.
"Not leave an empty hole but maybe create a park or find someone who is interested in putting a new building they're on the site," she said.
Susan Masse, vice president of the Norwich Heritage Trust said the building can be saved.
She said the Women's Institute for Housing and Economic Development hopes to restore the building with 20 apartments and retail space. But they need a year or two to collect $6 million dollars for the project.
A private investor also offered up $200-thousand dollars to help stabilize it.
"I want to see people who live here walking on the streets, buying from the local stores," Masse said.
The city council will have a chance to look at the proposal. If they move forward with the demolition, the state attorney general's office could file and injunction to stop it.
