TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - The building has been a fixture in Toledo for more than a hundred years. Now vacant for nearly two decades, the old Riverside Hospital is coming down.
"Kinda bittersweet. Excited to see it go. Sad to see it go," said Lisa Tierrasnegras, as she watched the demolition begin.
The building opened in 1883 as a home for unwed mothers. It eventually changed hands, becoming part of Mercy Health Partners, until it closed in 2002.
Denise Winston came to watch the demolition.
"It's a landmark," she said.
You can watch the start of the demolition here:
Winston said that she and her son, among other family members, were born at the hospital and she's sad to see it go.
"The nurses were great. The hospital was great. The doctors were great. I loved it here," said Winston.
In its vacancy, the building became somewhat of a magnet for scrappers. So for others, bringing the building down is a joyous occasion, marking the start of something new.
TPS took ownership of the building and surrounding property in 2004 and moved its headquarters to the space on Summit Street in 2016.
Now the district is turning the former hospital into green space.
"Dr. Durant looks at it like this is the entryway into downtown Toledo from the north end of town so we want to make sure TPS keeps up with the beautification and revitalization of Toledo," said Patty Mazur with Toledo Public Schools.
