Crews will take down the Eighth Street Office Building mostly by hand rather than use explosives or a wrecking ball that could damage nearby historic buildings, including two churches.

"We want to make sure all of our neighbors are safe," said Susan S. Pollard, communications director for the Department of General Services, the state government's landlord.

Demolition, which will cost $4.5 million, begins May 15 and could take six months. Preservation groups unsuccessfully tried to block the state from tearing down the building, formerly the Murphy Hotel.

Workers will start by gutting the interior of the early 20th-century building and, within 45 to 60 days, will demolish the brick facade. The job will require some heavy equipment, Pollard said.

The building looms over St. Peter Catholic Church and St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Just west of the site is the new federal courts building, which is under construction.

Crews will salvage parts of the Eighth Street Office Building for use in its replacement, including the terra cotta cornice, limestone scrolls, sills and medallions, maple flooring, wood paneling and a cast-iron staircase.

The building went up between 1911 and 1915. It was purchased in 1966 by the state for $1.95 million, along with the Hotel Richmond, now the Ninth Street Office Building.

In redeveloping the block, which is bounded on the south and north, respectively, by Grace and Broad streets, the state plans to construct a new tower that wraps around a restored Ninth Street Office Building.

There is no timetable for construction, nor has money been set aside by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and the General Assembly. The project is expected to cost more than $100 million, Pollard said.