Demolition by Neglect

Originally published 2/6/2012

The partial collapse of one Lynchburg’s few remaining Civil War hospital buildings on the evening of January 30th has caused a flurry of activity in Lynchburg’s history and historic preservation community. The City of Lynchburg’s announcement via Facebook on the afternoon of February 1st stating that “a vacant six-story warehouse located at 612 Dunbar Drive collapsed earlier today” was a bit of an exaggeration. Indeed, two bays of the rear of the 20,000+ square-foot building collapsed, which is not surprising due to the significant deterioration of the masonry on that elevation, which has been in desperate need of proper repointing, selective brick replacement, and adequate gutters for years. That being said, the building was still standing, and the most significant deterioration appeared to be limited to the rear elevation. …