That is the problem here, the if factor. I don't see why the property owner couldn't have held onto the building, deferred maintenance so holding onto the building wouldn't have been a liability (obviously the Hales never spent a dime while holding onto it), and waited for demolition permit when they were ready for a building permit as well. Why are these steps in the process years apart in most cases?

This property owner is soon going to find out just how much money they can make land squatting and using it for parking in the interim. I'm not saying they will, I'm just saying that here we have let someone with NO track record downtown, demolish a smallish but iconic historic building, without any concrete plans for replacing it with anything else on the block. There's no telling how this will turn out.

This site is just as likely to be a new development, as it is long-term surface parking, and also as it is the next horrible CC site. lol