Preserve or bulldoze? Debate builds over Benton Harbor eyesore

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- The State of Michigan is making it difficult to knock down a Benton Harbor eyesore.

A building at the corner of Columbus and Brittan has been empty for 30 years.

The county wants to tear it down, but the State Preservation Society said the building is historic.

It used to be an apartment building for school teachers.

But the county said it's a safety concern.

"If someone can fix it, then fix it.  But, it's just not fair to keep asking those neighbors to keep putting up with this," said Bret Witkowski, Berrien County Treasurer.

Berrien County has a once-in-a-decade grant to knock down more than 200 abandoned buildings in Benton Harbor.

They would like this to be one of them.