Lewiston city councilors voted to stop dithering about the fate of Bates Mill No. 5, long touted as a potential convention site, and tear the building down.
Estimates to demolish the 356,000-square-foot former textile mill could go as high as $3 million, according to city officials quoted in the Sun Journal, but the city could save $51,000 annually in maintenance and heating costs associated with building. Proposals seeking a developer to renovate the historic, Albert Kahn-designed mill last year were unsuccessful.
The city assumed ownership of the building in 1992 after its former owners abandoned it. Councilors said they were confident the 4-acre, downtown site would be easier to develop without the building, according to the paper.