Residents of a central Kansas town are watching with sadness as a 125-year-old building is demolished.

Workers on Thursday began demolishing the former Parker House Hotel in Minneapolis. The building partially collapsed last month, forcing the evacuation of the downtown area.

The building’s owners had said they wanted to save it but the Minneapolis City Council voted to pay $76,800 to demolish the structure because of concerns that it could collapse.

The building was erected in 1888 as the Corn State Bank and became the Parker House in 1899. For years it was one of the most popular destinations in the city. It had been vacant for several years.

The hotel was added to the Register of Historic Kansas Places in 2009.

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Associated Press information from: The Salina Journal