Demolition began Monday of a dilapidated former riverfront office building next to the new Rockford Public Library.

The building at 227 N. Wyman St. was once home to a Blue Cross Blue Shield office.

Library officials had decided to demolish the building when plans to turn it into a $22 million, six-story luxury apartment complex evaporated.

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Rockford last year agreed to split the cost of demolition up to $375,000 using American Rescue Plan Act funding. The cost of demolition is high because of the building's proximity to the Jefferson Street Bridge, officials said.

The library bought the property for $300,000 in 2016 in hopes a project that would complement its new $40 million library would be built there. When that project did not come to fruition it was believed the property detracted from the library.

A new 66,000-square-foot library opened at 215 N. Wyman St. with panoramic views of the Rock River in June 2024.

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Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on X @jeffkolkey.

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Dilapidated former office building near library demolished