Buffalo's Kensington Towers are starting to come tumbling down. Demolition has begun on the longstanding eyesore on North Fillmore Avenue next to the 33.

Several dignitaries were present for yesterday's ceremony, marking the start of removal of the six, long-abandoned high-rise towers. The 7-story buildings have been vacant since the 1970s.

The site will be the future home of Heritage Heights, a continuing care retirement facility.

Among those attenting the ceremony was State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, on hand to celebrate "a project will enhance this East Side community, that will create hundreds of construction jobs, hundreds of permanent jobs and establish much-needed continuing-care housing for local retirees."

The demolition is being paid for with a $5 million grant from the Assembly. Mayor Byron Brown told the gathering the demolition project should take about a year.