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City Grill demolition in Anderson

See larger Jack Johnson gently squeezes the hydraulic claw and thumb attachment on an excavator to tear an access hole in the building's east side shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday.

Photo by George L. Winship, Editor

Jack Johnson gently squeezes the hydraulic claw and thumb attachment on an excavator to tear an access hole in the building's east side shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday.

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  • Troy Leckey, owner of Leckey Land Clearing, deftly operates a 52,000-pound track loader equipped with both a rear ripper and a front clam-shell bucket, converted the former City Grill's kitchen and food preparation area into a pulverized mass of wood, particle board and shredded carpet in a matter of hours.
  • Sharon Leckey directs water from a fire hose on any clouds of debris dust that billows up as laborer David Olsen of Redding separates scraps of metal from the wood chip pile while Troy Leckey clears the concrete pad for loading and eventual removal
  • Jack Johnson gently squeezes the hydraulic claw and thumb attachment on an excavator to tear an access hole in the building's east side shortly after 8 a.m. Tuesday.
  • The 'claw' or 'thumb' attachment on an excavator crunches through decorative concrete block walls like a parrot's beak on a soda cracker. It is the skill of the operator that allows portions of the building to be pulled down and separated into component parts without causing the entire structure to fall apart in an uncontrolled manner.
  • 'Mario's Golden Room' was still on the mail box as demolition crews cleared out the building's interior prior to pulling down the decorative concrete block walls, all that remained of the burned restaurant and bar on North Street in Anderson.
  • An 18-wheeler prepares to haul away debris from the defunct Golden Room bar and former City Grill restaurant that was destroyed by fire in September 2004. Leckey Land Clearing of Redding was awarded the demolition contract based on a bid of $19,738 several months after the City of Anderson purchased the property for $300,000. The city hopes to eventually construct a new police department facility on the property.
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Although the building had long held a popular watering hole, the Golden Room, and a destination restaurant, City Grill, the burned-out hulk has been an eyesore and safety hazard in Anderson since flames gutted the structure in September 2004.
The City of Anderson, as part of its redevelopment efforts, purchased the building earlier this year for $300,000 or about half of what the property was assessed.
Anderson's city council, which hopes to someday build a new police headquarters on the site, had the building leveled and will pave over the property for use as a parking lot until it can afford to develop the site, said Jeff Kiser, director of public works.

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