After almost a year held up in the court system, the remains of the old Banner School came crumbling down after the building was destroyed by fire three years ago to the date.
City of Guthrie employees were out on Tuesday demolishing what was left of the building.
City officials were hoping to have the building a year ago after reaching an agreement with then property owners Larry and Michelle Ladd. The agreement in late 2015 was for the Ladd’s to turn the property over to the City and at that point the City would demolish the property.
The settlement became foggy when the property owners filed bankruptcy and held the case up in the court system until recently.
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Now moving forward, City Manager Leroy Alsup says the City will consider the land for future use.
Alsup says he is happy for the nearby neighbors to see the eye sore come down and the property cleaned up.
City officials are hopeful to save the Banner School name plate when they tear down the front of the building and consider what to do with it in the future.
In the early morning hours of May 9, 2014, the 79-year-old building was engulfed in flames and was later determined it was set on fire by juveniles. The teens, who were taken into custody shortly after, also broke into Cotteral Elementary that morning and piled up approximately $2,400 worth of damages.
Majority of the building had to be torn down so that firefighters could reach the middle of the building and put out the remainder of the fire that was burning after the roof had caved in.
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