Final demolitions took place last week in preparation for the new three-story building that will go up on the west side of the square. Two buildings were torn down on the north side of West Morrison Street last Tuesday to pave the way for Central Methodist University’s roughly $6.5 million building project. The now-empty lots will serve as a construction staging area for the new building that will house students on the top two floors, with retail spaces on the first floor.

(There is some debate as to whether the largest of the buildings was actually one or two buildings. Although it held a wide common facade, the building was at one time divided into two businesses. When last in operation, it was opened as one building).

Once the new building is completed, CMU will make those lots on West Morrison Street into a parking lot for students and visitors to downtown.

Nearly an entire block of West Morrison Street was demolished. The only building left is the one owned by Jeff Parks, which houses Ma’s Discount Hooch on the first floor and three tenants in two apartments on the second floor. The building was temporarily closed on Wednesday due to stability concerns. All of the buildings on the block were attached to one another.

Parks had voiced his concern in recent months about the planned demolition, which was announced in January. That same month, Parks told the Fayette City Council that he was not trying to stop progress, but he didn’t want to be “left with a mess.”

Ma’s was closed down for several hours on Wednesday and the upstairs tenants stayed elsewhere that night. Since then, workers have temporarily shored up the east wall of the building. 

Parks told this newspaper on Monday that he felt like the demolition plan wasn’t followed. “We just hope to remain open,” he said.

Ma’s opened in July 2020. Parks restored the building, which dates back to at least the early 1900s.

A spokesperson for Central Methodist said the university is working with engineers and the construction manager and looking at all the options.

Early-stage construction for the new building is expected to begin in the early summer. Bids are set to go out in May. The university hopes to open the building in the spring of 2023.