“It’s like watching a family member slowly die.” Those were the words of Jessie who came to witness the demolition of the iconic Mulligan's Brick Bar on Allen street.
“The way the fire ripped through, and now it's standing there, and it looks really strong and stable, like they could save it, but the desire or the money isn't there, and that's understandable.”
Steve from Amherst shared a similar sentiment saying “it was like a death in the family.”
A Sunday morning fire ripped through Mulligan’s Brick Bar leaving much of the building unsalvageable. Although the building is technically unstable, the option to stabilize the bar was on the table. Bernice Radle Executive director from Preservation Buffalo Niagara had discussions with the owner about this possibility. However, the owner eventually decided to go with the demolition instead.
“You know, [Mulligan’s] Brick bar is technically unstable, as is, because it just had a big fire. But it doesn't mean that it can't be stabilized. It can be stabilized. Of course it's the owners [decision]. You know, I don't want to say anything negative about the owner. She ran a really cool bar for a long time. Okay, I understand. You know, this is hard for anybody. It's hard for stabilization people that do this all the time. This is not an easy project.”
The owner of the bar Kim Rossi told WIVB news that “the damage was beyond repair and the bar is a total loss.”
Demolition went on as scheduled Wednesday morning but was delayed due to equipment failure. The demolition is expected to move forward Thursday morning. To hear the full reactions to the bar’s demolition please click the blue listen button above.