Residents upset after old hospital demolition halted

STATESVILLE, N.C. — Residents in a Statesville community are upset that demolition of an old hospital has been halted for weeks now. 
 
Chopper Nine Skyzoom was over the Old Davis Hospital in September when demolition started on the 30-year-old abandoned building.
 
It's a building that had become an eyesore to residents like John Staford.
 
"The building is blight. The building has been blight," he said.
 
City leaders said the county received a letter from the state earlier this month.
 
The letter said a representative from the health hazards control unit visited the building and found "regulated asbestos containing materials" in  "demolition debris."

State leaders suspended demolition until a state inspection could take place and determine how to proceed. Residents who've waited years for the abandoned building to be torn down are upset.
 
"The fact that it's in this state now,  it's more blighted," said Jonathan Dearman.
 
Now residents said they're concerned asbestos debris in the field could impact their families.

"It's disappointing that the city and county would have allowed this to get this far," said Staford.
 
A spokesperson for the city said Iredell County is the agency that permitted the demolition, so Channel 9 reached out to the Iredell County manager to find out if the state inspector has evaluated the site and if residents are at risk. 
 
He responded with an email, saying, "Everything is currently on hold. The State will be onsite during the remainder of the demolition process to ensure compliance."
 
He did not respond to specific questions. Residents who lived with the building for decades said they want a swift resolution.
 
"See this place cleaned up, demoed and used for the community," said Dearman.
 
We also reached out to the Department of Health and Human Services to ask when the situation will be resolved. We will let you know when we hear back. This spring we told you the county planned to buy the property from its current owner and deed it Mitchell Community College.

WSOC