Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba said the pre-demolition phase started on Monday, with crews working to ensure it safe before proceeding.

Hotel O, located along Interstate 55, has long been a public nuisance. The dilapidated property has been a hotspot for crime and squatting.

Lumumba said the city had to secure legal contracts and clearing necessary procedures, including clearing demolition plans with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), before any work could begin.

“The reality is, in terms of the fines and the steps that were required, this was actually in lightning speed in terms of how those things typically happen. And everybody has had an interest in bringing that down that I saw that that threat and that danger. But we had to make certain that we did it in the right way, especially with an owner who was asserting his legal rights in the matter,” the mayor said.

Lumumba said there’s no exact timeline for when the demolition will be completed.