After nearly 15 years, a long abandoned building in downtown is finally being torn down.

What used to be a Texaco gas station and car repair garage at 225 N. Nevada Ave. has sat empty since 2012, when Denny Lauer closed the business for good. In 2023 a fire ripped through the station, adding to the ongoing issues of disrepair at the building across the street from Palmer High School.

Crews have started abatement work in preparation for demolition, said staff with D2 Demo and Dirt, which until recently had a sign advertising its services on the gas station. As of Thursday, several trailers were positioned around the building within the fencing.

“We are doing it now for safety and security reasons. … And it makes downtown Colorado Springs a little prettier,” said Theresa Johnson, chief operating officer of the YMCA, which has owned the building for several years.

In 2019, the nonprofit shared plans to build a multi-use facility on the property. It would have featured a state-of-the-art gym and wellness center and “workforce housing,” according to past coverage by The Gazette.

The COVID-19 pandemic delayed the YMCA’s redevelopment plans. Soaring interest rates and rising costs of construction and demolition further delayed those plans, which are still on hold.

In December 2023, a fire broke out in the building, gutting much of the interior. Nobody was injured, according to coverage at the time.