Highland Park Improvement Club trustee Kay Kirkpatrick sent that photo from early this morning, as demolition of HPIC’s fire-gutted building began at 12th/Holden. As previewed here last night, this is a long-awaited step toward rebuilding, 3+ years after the fire. It’s still bittersweet for onlookers to see a century of history come down in a matter of hours; several were watching – including Kirkpatrick – when we stopped by less than an hour ago.

(This photo and next two by WSB’s Patrick Sand)

(added) Thanks to Scott Bessho for this video from right before we arrived, when the entry-side facade came down:

The Fed Excavation demolition crew is making fast work of the building; that’ll be followed by debris-clearing. Kirkpatrik says one challenge this morning was dealing with a ton-and-a-half steel beam. Its fate hasn’t been determined yet; some of the old timber from the building will be reclaimed. As will the site, in the interim time before its replacement is built (fundraising continues) – Kirkpatrick says a work party will be planned to clean it up and beautify it a bit once the building debris is gone.