Last week, city leaders took the first steps toward another project that will literally transform the landscape of Dowagiac.

The Dowagiac City Council voted unanimously to approve a grant application to the state Blight Elimination Program for $100,000 to bring down the old Lincoln School building, located at 407 E. Division St. If the city’s application is approved, contractors may have the building down by year’s end, according to the city manager.

This situation may feel like deja vu for many of you. It was just two years ago when the city applied for funding from the same exact program to demolish another long-standing city structure, the “big grey” Goerlich building at the corner of Railroad and Division streets downtown.

Judging by the reactions on our Facebook page following the city’s decision, it appears that some residents are displeased with the potential demolition of Lincoln, though.

Just like with the demolition of big grey, however, we believe that leaders are making the most pragmatic solution possible to this problem.

First, just like with the previous demolition project, the boarded-up school needs to be brought down not just for aesthetic reasons, but for safety ones. Not only is it falling apart due to lack of maintenance, but it is also a frequent target of vandalism, according to the city manager.

Many of the people responding to our story online asked why the city cannot simply reuse the building, to use it as public housing or a recreation center for children.

The answer is quite simple: the project would be cost prohibitive.

Renovating old buildings up to modern standards may often cost more than simply tearing it down and building a new one from scratch — especially ones as large as Lincoln. It would be a highly questionable use of taxpayer dollars, especially when the return on investment would be minimal at best.

The natural response to this dilemma may be to sell the building to private developer, and have it shoulder the costs.

This was already attempted three years ago, and ended in failure.

If people truly want to see affordable housing or a recreation center spring forth, the best solution is to support the city’s decision to demolish Lincoln. Once the building is down, the lot may be sold to a private business that can build one of these structures or perhaps something else that would benefit the community at large.

We understand where people are coming from when they say they want Lincoln to stay. However, fond memories and sentimentality are just not enough to make reuse of the building financially viable nor can they stop the tides of time from continuing to wear away at the structure.

We wish the city luck with the project, and hope they secure the funding to make it happen.

Hopefully what emerges from the site will honor the legacy of the school and benefit the community that cherished it.

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial board consisting of General Manager Ambrosia Neldon and editors Scott Novak and Ted Yoakum.