A building in Natchez, MS which has been the subject of a long, drawn out battle, was demolished yesterday on orders from Natchez Mayor Phillip West. It was the Old Natchez Pecan Shelling Company factory.
Some say the Mayor may have broken the law with the demolition. The building, originally built in 1947, had fallen into disrepair and Mayor West says it was a health and safety hazard. So he ordered it torn down.

The mayor says the City has an offer from a company that wants to build a 20 million dollar condominium project on the site. A lawsuit has been filed against the City for selling the land and it is on appeal to the State Supreme Court.

West maintains he broke no law with the demolition, but the Department of Archives and History disagrees.

Hank Holmes of the Director of Archives and History says, "There are procedures that were violated by the City, they have never met any of the three conditions that we have placed upon them, for the demolition. There is a court hearing Monday afternoon in Natchez, what will come out of it I don't know."

It appears that the matter will eventually have to be worked out in court, but the old pecan factory is gone, whatever happens.