Champaign demolition on hold at insurer's instruction

CHAMPAIGN – Hopes that demolition could begin soon on a fire-damaged building downtown appear to have been dashed this week.

State Auto Insurance Cos. of Columbus, Ohio, the insurer for the former Metropolitan Building that was destroyed in the Nov. 7 fire, have instructed their clients not to allow the fire site to be used as a demolition-staging area for an adjacent building, at 215 N. Neil St., that was structurally damaged in the fire.

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