JANESVILLE, Wis. -- City of Janesville crews on Tuesday tore down the one of the oldest buildings in a historic Janesville neighborhood, although some claim the building didn't have to be demolished.

Gale Price, the city's manager of Building and Development Services, said the Case Feed Building was in disrepair and unsafe. Price said it was built in 1910 and has been vacant since 2002.

The city has been working with the property owner for three years to see if the repairs would be made or if the property would be sold, WISC-TV reported.

Janesville city leaders said the building is not listed in the state's registry of historic places.

But for some residents, it was a part of their history.

"I lived up there since I was 7. I practically grew up there my whole life," said Cindy Baxter. "We moved out in 1992, 1993. We had a lot of Christmases up there, get-togethers. It's very emotional watching it come down after we lived there for 23 years."

Local real estate agent Andreah Briarmoon said it's one of the oldest buildings in the historic neighborhood in Janesville's Fourth Ward.

"This is heartbreaking. We are stealing from our children," Briarmoon said.

Briarmoon had been working with the property owner and the city in hopes of keeping the building in the community.

"We had two structural engineering evaluations. They say the building is sound and needed superficial repairs," Briarmoon said.

But city officials disagree, saying the property was in disrepair and unsafe.

"On numerous occasions we detailed out what we specifically needed to enter into a compliance agreement, which would have given them the opportunity to repair the building (and) request building permits so they could go on with their project. Unfortunately, they weren't able to provide us with that in a timely manor," Price said. "It's paramount people maintain their property, and maintain it at a minimum in consistency with the building codes that are out there."

As much as Baxter said she hated to see the building go, she said she'll always have her memories

"I mean there's a lot of history up there," Baxter said.

Janesville officials said the property owner will have to pay for the $25,000 demolition. Price said the city will clean up the site but the future of the property is up to the owner.