ST. ALBANS, WV (WOWK) – The old St. Albans Junior High School is one step closer to demolition. The St. Albans City Council voted Monday night to approve the demolition of the abandoned building.

The school has been closed for over 25 years, but caught fire in 2018.

Neighbors say the building can’t be torn down soon enough. Kiersten Helle, who lives right next door says the school is not just an eyesore, but also presents safety concerns to the whole neighborhood. 

“It was very scary living here for awhile, just cause you can come here and you never know who’s in the building,” Helle said. “It could be a bunch of kids running around causing trouble, or it could be some drug addict running in and out doing a really or doing the drugs in there.”

Helle adds, “We really are in danger being here beside it for this many years.”

According to the city, the project received $500,000 in funding from the St. Albans American Rescue Plan spending but needed more funding approved to go through with the demolition.

The date for the demolition is unknown at this time.