Tahlequah Officials Say Collapsing Building Needs To Come Down

A building collapse in Tahlequah forced the city to shut down its main street for a week.

The back wall of an old hardware store came down January 13.

1/14/2017 Related Story: Back Of Downtown Tahlequah Building Collapses

City officials said the old hardware store will have to be torn down.

Tahlequah's City Council is working to determine what to do with the old Masters Hardware store. The wall fell down on the backside about a week ago and the main drag here is still shut down. 

A strip of Muskogee Avenue is blocked off and traffic has to go around because city officials are worried about the Masters Hardware store collapsing.

It's been in that condition for a week and the entire perimeter is fenced off.

"Well, it's an old building you know. I hope they can save it you know I hope they can refurbish it or whatever. I hate to see it torn down. It's one of the older buildings in town," said customer Leroy Schumacher. 

Schumacher remembers going into the old hardware store.

"If you couldn't find it anywhere else in town you'd go to Masters," Schumacher said. 

Now, the walls are barely hanging on and one outer wall is blowing with the wind.

Tahlequah's mayor says the city council will have to approve and fund the teardown.

Schumacher understands why the city needs to keep the area around the old building blocked off.

"I'm sure they'll have it cleaned up before too long. I imagine they do that for safety. I mean this part of the building fell down, maybe the front of it might fall too, who knows?" Schumacher said. 

The fire chief says the building isn't salvageable. The city council will take up the issue Monday night at 7 p.m.