BUFFALO, N.Y. — ​An eyesore that has plagued Buffalo’s Riverside neighborhood for years is finally being torn down.

Demolition work is underway on the former King Sewing Machine Company site.

The first phrase of demotion at the seven acre site expected to be done by mid-September.

Mayor Byron Brown says the site was once home to thousands of jobs, but mishandling by owners led to blight. He says it’s been dangerous for police officers and firefighters responding to calls at the crumbling site.

“308 Crowley has been dangerous,” Mayor Brown said. “It’s been deteriorating in the Riverside community in the city of Buffalo for a long period of time. But the people behind me and others in this community never gave up on getting this property demolished and making sure that this eyesore and this danger would be removed from the community.”

A second phase of demolition is expected to wrap up by the end of November.

The site will be part of the state’s Brownfield Cleanup Program.