Downtown landmark makes way for progress

LOUISVILLE, KY (WAVE) - You may have driven past it for decades. Now, the old Baer Fabrics building in downtown Louisville is no more. Demolition of Louisville's Baer Fabrics building is making way the new downtown bridges project.

The building has been a landmark in Louisville and has been around since the 1900's. Baer was a one stop shop for fabrics, buttons, and anything that had to do with a sewing machine. The store closed in 2008 and now what stood for over a hundred years has come down within a matter of hours. The demolition, which started Monday, should be done by late Tuesday.

"We start on the inside and gut it from floor to floor," said Kevin Brumley of HCL Demolition. "Start on top and work our way down. We're recycling 85 percent of this building. Wood beams, doors, windows, we'll salvage all the brick when we get it cleaned up."

HCL demolition says they'll start cleaning up Wednesday and be out by mid-April. Construction on the bridge will start this summer.

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