THE COMING DAYS.

>> AS WTTM NEWS WAS THE FIRST TO REPORT, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PLANS TO TEAR DOWN A CENTURY OLD BUILDING THAT IS NEXT TO TWO SKYSCRAPERS.

THE PROPERTY HAS SAT VACANT AND HAS FALLEN INTO EXTREME DISREPAIR.

PRESERVATIONISTS ARE WORRIED ABOUT WHAT IT COULD MEAN FOR SIGNIFICANT NEIGHBORS.

>> Reporter: THE FOUR BUILDINGS AT THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF STATE AND ADAMS DATE BACK MORE THAN ONE SENTRY.

>> OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION THAT MANAGED THESE BUILDINGS HAVE LET IT FALL INTO DISREPAIR FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES TO APPOINT WHERE WE ARE IN A CRISIS SITUATION.

>> Reporter: WE LEARNED THIS WEEK THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAS HIRED A CONTRACTOR TO TEAR DOWN THE THREE-STORY BUILDING AT 208 TO 12 SOUTH STATE.

IT WAS A FORMAL RETAIL SPACE BUILT IN 1920 AND LIES BETWEEN THE SENTRY AND CONSUMERS BUILDING.

TWO HISTORIC BUILDINGS THE GOVERNMENT ALSO WANTS TO TEAR DOWN SAYING THEY POSE A SECURITY THREAT TO THE NEARBY COMMUNITY.

>> THERE IS $52 MILLION CONGRESSIONAL FUNDS EARMARKED TO DEMOLISH THESE BUILDINGS.

THEY SHOULD NOT BE DEMOLISHED.

THEY ARE PART OF HISTORY AND PART OF THIS COMMUNITY OF SOME OF THE FIRST SKYSCRAPERS.

>>> THEY CLOSED OFF THE SIDE WEEKS BECAUSE THE CRUMBLING FA÷ADE POST THE DANGER TO THE POPULATION.

THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, THE FEDERAL AGENCY THAT MANAGES GOVERNMENT PROPERTIES SAYS THEY DID AN ASSESSMENT FOUND THE NON-HISTORIC BUILDING THAT HAS BEEN UNDER REPAIR FOR SEVERAL YEARS IS NOT STRUCTURALLY SOUND.

>> IF THOSE TWO BUILDINGS ARE DISTRESSED IN THE WAY THAT THEY ARE IT MAKES ME CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONDITION.

>> Reporter: MANY OF THE PLANTS TO SAVE THE BUILDINGS CONSIDERS TEARING DOWN THE SMALL BUILDING THAT IS NOW SLATED FOR DEMOLITION BUT WANTS THE SKYSCRAPERS TO BECOME CITY LANDMARKS.

>> WE NEED TO REVIVE THE COMMERCIAL AREA NEAR STATE STREET.

>> Reporter: PRESERVATION'S PLANS WILL REPURPOSE THE BUILDING AND ADDRESS SECURITY CONCERNS.

THEY DON'T WANT TO TEAR DOWN HISTORIC BUILDINGS BECAUSE OF ITS PROXIMITY TO A FEDERAL BUILDING MAY SET A BAD PRECEDENT.

>> WE THINK THESE COULD BE REFASHIONED.