BEATRICE – It’s a one small step in a big project, but one of the dilapidated buildings on the former Dempster Manufacturing plant site has come down.

The City of Beatrice recently contracted with a company to demolish one of the vacant buildings on the Dempster property, located at the rear northwest corner of the property.

The building, which was obscured from view by thick overgrowth of trees and brush, is the first structure to come down in what’s expected to be a multi-year demolition process. The building removed was a mechanic’s shop at the plant, which once employed hundreds of workers.

The plant has been condemned and is off-limits to the public. The city has a special council committee working on the project and the city has been addressing the project with state and federal environmental officials. One requirement for demolishing the remainder of the buildings is the city acquiring ownership of all of the property….which is split into several parcels.