A hundred-year-old Salem building still has a large hole and debris after owner Rodney Herron said he hoped to have it fixed in a week. 

However, seven days later the building looks more or less the same. 21 News looked into why. 

"At present that building is not availble to be utilized for commercial use," Jim Murray, Salem commercial building official said.

Now we've learned firefighters were out in January over faulty wiring. 

"It was unfit for human habitation at that time and the building was ultimately condemned and the tenants had to be removed," Scott Mason, Salem fire chief said. 

Since then, it's been up to Herron to get the building up to code.

An April 29th inspection found, "Multiple areas of compromised brickwork, visible combustibles and debris inside the structure, fallen cement blocks below ground level, numerous doors left unsecured and open and signs of structural stress," among other things. There were also code violations like, "Leaning exterior walls, lack of proper boarding on open or broken windows and accumulated combustibles inside the structure, among others. 

On May 2nd, Murray reported to Chief Mason quote, "I visitied the site in the morning and observed no recognizable work to continue with debris removal."  However, Herron insists he's working on it and that his hands are tied until the architect draws up a plan.

"Presently that architect that he has engaged with is evaluating those upper floors to get them into compliance to be able to utilize them for residential use," Murray said.

As far as the foundations go, Murray said "There are no indication in the building to give me a pause for concern regarding the structural integrity of that building."

Fire Chief Mason also weighed in on the foundations.

"Once he excavate's it out, there may be none," Mason said. "The retaining wall does not specifically effect the building itself but he does need to excavate that out so that we can take a good look at the foundation," he said. 

Another inspection date is set for May 11th.