Cairo downtown may face wrecking ball

By Carly O'Keefe

CAIRO, IL (KFVS) - Like most other cities, Cairo is showing signs of the slumping economy. Some businesses have closed.

Nonny's, the town's legendary burger joint is boarded up because its owner opted to get out of the burger business. The Chinese restaurant in town is closed as well. Still, city leaders see hope on the horizon for Cairo.

The city has secured grant money to demolish some of the old store buildings on Commercial Street. The buildings have long been in a state of disrepair. Mayor Judson Childs says crumbling and collapsing structures are not only an eyesore, but a hazard to the public.

The city is still in the planning stages of which of those buildings will come down and when, but Mayor Childs says one thing's for certain, Cairo's downtown will be cleaned up.

"We're looking for thing to resuscitate Cairo. Because Cairo is in a dying state and we want to give it a treatment here, to try to get something going," Childs said.

The city has also attained grants to tear down some of the numerous dilapidated vacant homes throughout town. The mayor hopes by tearing down all those old buildings--Cairo can make way to re-build its business base and make strides toward progress.