WESTFIELD, N.Y. -- The Village of Westfield said so long Thursday to a piece of its history that sat vacant for more than 15 years.
"It's an old building, it's an iconic building that's been here since the turn of the century," said Mayor Michael VandeVelde, D/I-Westfield.
The Portage Inn still holds fond memories for many people, including VandeVelde.
"It was a place that was very much loved. It's certainly very sad for me. I spent many, many, many evenings in the Portage Inn," said VandeVelde.
"It's an emergency to bring this structure down," said Mark Geise, Chautauqua County Land Bank Executive Director.
Crews started demolishing the longtime restaurant after the structure was deemed a safety hazard to motorists and pedestrians. Funding for the tear-down came from a grant through the state Attorney General's Office to the Chautauqua County Land Bank.
"It's sad that this old historic building has to come down and it can't be saved. You know, you wish you could but it was so far gone," said Geise.
While the village tears down a piece of its past, it now looks forward to rebuilding its future. Plans call for a public road leading from Route 394 down to the park and ball fields, as well as to Chautauqua Creek and the gorge.
"So this opens up this huge vista," said Geise. "Opening this up, providing access to the water resources that this village has."
Village leaders hope that access will continue to spur further economic growth.
"We certainly have a lot of hopes for this area. It is a good feeling, but a sad feeling at the same time," said VandeVelde.
Following the demolition, the debris will be covered and then removed early next year.