After Delays, Demolition Of Marshall’s State Farm Building Commencing

Demolition is now underway on a large building that has sat vacant in Marshall for some time, after a long delay.

The State Farm building at 410 East Dr. has been vacant since 2006, and efforts to find a buyer for the 7.5 acre property were unsuccessful. So earlier this year, the Calhoun County Land Bank received a $600,000 grant from the Calhoun County Treasurer for the demolition of the site.

The Land Bank had said that the demolition would get underway in mid- July, but that didn’t happen; Land Bank executive director Krista Trout-Edwards says that they had to make sure “all the I’s were dotted and T’s crossed before this project can begin”. The project finally got underway on Tuesday, September 4.

The demolition of the State Farm building is expected to be completed in late October, with a restoration effort of the foundation wrapping up in November to make the land ready for redevelopment. The contractor, Melching Inc. of Muskegon, will be using a "dust destroyer" to avoid dust and mold from spreading to neighboring houses, but residents near the demolition are advised to keep their doors and windows closed regardless.