The Crown Vantage Paper Mill in Parchment, MI has sat empty for more than a decade.

The property has gone through several developers and several different plans. Now the plan calls for a mix of housing and offices along with a riverfront park.

Crews at the scene started demolition work on Tuesday. Approximately 700,000 square feet of the old mill needs to be torn down, and the process is not going to be easy.

The old building is full of asbestos and other toxic materials that need to be dealt with before the building can be demolished. The first phase of work, which kicked off Tuesday, will cover about 180,000 square feet and is scheduled to be finished in January, when phase two will begin.

The total cost of the project is estimated to hit around $100 million, covering some 83 acres and including commercial and retail space as well as housing. The city manager says it's still too early to tell when all the work will be done.

Bierlein is performing the demolition.