A historic building in Niagara Falls will be coming down. While there’s no set date yet, mayor Jim Diodati says it was too costly to fix, while residents in the community have mixed views.

The former courthouse and city hall in Niagara Falls was built in 1866, but in 1954 it got a facelift. The original stone was covered with brick, the pitch roof was removed and replaced with a flat roof.

Today, the building has been empty for nearly three decades, only being used for storage. It has been examined by the Ontario Environmental and Safety Network numerous times.

Council unanimously decided to demolish the Queen Street building.

It will cost $260,000-thousand to level it versus more than 6.5 million dollars to renovate.

Diodati says they plan to save some of the original stone to recognize the history of the building.
In its place, an open promenade and green space for residents and tourists to enjoy.