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MOLENA - The old rock building next to the Post Office in Molena came down today. Pike County Times spoke with Clerk Tina Lee about the demolition of the building that City Council tried to save.

Built of stone and concrete with a metal roof, the building has quietly stood on the corner of highways 18 and 109 for many years. Pike County Times has taken many pictures of this historical structure over the years.

City Council has been discussing the building for over a year. They discussed taking down just the front of the building and leaving up part of it, and they discussed leaving up the wall for historical purposes. But in the end, the walls were not structurally sound so it was not safe to save just part of the building.

Council also tried to find a way to save some of the bricks and rock in order to reuse or preserve part of the building, but they couldn’t find a way to take it apart in order to do a project to safety take down and preserve the history. Ultimately, the decision was made of the course of a year of discussions to take down the building.

The City of Molena released the following statement regarding the demolition of the building today:

"The structure, which was more than a century old, having been built in 1904, had been in declining condition for many years. It was gifted to the city in 2025, and once it became City property, Council began looking into whether any part of it could be safely preserved. Several options were reviewed, but each assessment reached the same conclusion, the building was too unstable to save. Portions of the structure were collapsing, and the foundation and walls could not support partial preservation. In addition to its structural issues, the building has always created a visibility problem at the intersection. Drivers coming off of Highway 109 have long struggled to see traffic approaching on Highway 18 without pulling out into the roadway, which created a significant safety concern. The building was one of Molena ‘s oldest, though not the oldest in town, therefore, Council understood its history, and the connection many residents had to it. Even so, the condition of the structure and the safety risks it posed left no viable alternative to removal. Protecting the people who live in Molena and those traveling through our community must remain our top priority. The parcel is very small, approximately 0.05 acres, and is not suitable for new construction. There are currently no plans for the site. The City of Molena is committed to preserving the history of our city wherever it can be done safely and responsibly. We appreciate this community’s understanding as we continue working to balance preservation with public safety."

Clerk Lee advised Pike County Times that City Council members are not happy to see the building go, but the building was unsafe to those who parked near it or drove by it on the road so the decision was made to demolish the building in the interest of public safety.

There are no plans for the lot where this building was located. Clerk Lee said to look for something brighter and better in the future!

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