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…