Concerns raised over structural integrity of a century old Salem building

For more than a century, a building has been standing at 241 E State Street in Salem and is now condemned.

There's cause for concern after a retaining wall collapsed near the back of the building, leaving behind a gaping hole.

"Would be a little dangerous right now because there's a hole but has nothing to do with the building whatsoever," Rodney Herron, the building's owner, said. "It was a retaining wall which runs on the outside of the building for a staircase going into the building," he said.

Herron insists the building is safe, claiming an inspector checked it out.

In order to fix the problem an architect has to draw up a plan.

"I'm gonna put a new staircase on the interior of the building and we're gonna block the entrance to the basement door and backfill this," Herron said.

Herron adds, they'll be fixing the problem the same day the architect submits the drawing.

"I can understand people's concern because we've lost some buildings downtown," Herron said. "This building's been thoroughly gone through and it's structural sound," he said.

After the work is complete, Herron can fulfill his plans rent the building out.

"We're looking at the alley's side which a lot of us neglect to make it pretty, I have goals to make even the alley side look, this is gonna look really nice when we're done," Herron said.

Herron hopes to have the hole filled within the week