Downtown sidewalk reopened after building deemed as safe

• Mitchell National Bank building

The former Mitchell National Bank Building has now been deemed safe after a large stone piece fell from it more than a month ago. The piece that fell from the building can be seen missing from the corner of the pediment in the upper left part of this image. (Chris Huber/Republic)

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The barricades around the former Mitchell National Bank Building have been removed after a restoration company hired by the owner to look at the building said the area was safe. The site was blocked off after a roughly 3-foot piece of the building fell off and crashed to the ground more than a month ago.

City of Mitchell Public Works Director Tim McGannon said he received a letter from the company Midwest Restoration, which is based in Nebraska, noting the building is safe.

“They said everything else appears fine on the building,” McGannon said.

The large stone piece of the 107-year-old building fell from the pediment (a triangular piece that sits atop columns) more than two stories above the street. No one was injured when the piece fell.

McGannon said work will be done by the restoration company to fix the area that had fallen off the building.

Building owner Joe Claggett declined to comment for this story.

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