The demolition of Ansonia’s former Peck School began Tuesday.
Click play on the video from the city’s Facebook page to see the start of the process.
The school was built in 1905 and closed in 2000 as part of a reorganization of the city’s schools.
The Holbrook Street property was sold in 2005 but redevelopment plans never got off the ground.
As the 22,853-square-foot building sat empty it became a dilapidated eyesore in the densely populated west side neighborhood.
Voters approved spending up to $400,000 to demolish the building in a 2013 referendum.
The city bought the property back last August for $20,000.
In December Aldermen awarded the demolition contract to Trumbull-based Standard Demolition Services Inc. for $477,729.
The additional money required above the amount approved by voters will come from other referendum projects where the city didn’t spend as much as authorized, officials have said.
Mayor David Cassetti said at an Aldermen’s meeting this month that the city is also working on a plan to set aside about 1,000 bricks from the building for distribution to residents and former students at the school.
Another video from the city of Tuesday’s demolition is below.
Sheila O’Malley, the city’s grants writer and economic development director, said the company hopes to finish the demolition by Friday.
