MERRILL - Ugly, dangerous buidlings aren't good for any neighborhood or community.

Tuesday, one Northwoods city decided to do something about them.

"It's something you wouldn't want to look at if you lived next door to it," Merrill City Administrator David Johnson said.

"Nor would you want it taking your property values down."

Johnson thinks tearing down these old buildings can help Merrill take steps toward job growth.

"We want a community that is attractive, viable - a place that people would want to come to raise their family, to open a business, to work," Johnson said.

It's called a Blight Elimination Program and city leaders in Merrill hope eye sores like the one at 318 Grand Avenue can be eliminated from the city to help some of the local businesses.

"It was condemned," To Your Health Market owner Jennifer Mattson said.

"There was glass knocked out of it and it looked poor."

The possibility of additional parking is huge for Mattson's business.

"Parking right now they have to walk across the busy intersection here," Mattson said.

"Parking next door where they don't have to cross the street would be great for me."

The 318 Grand Avenue location is coming down with the help of a $20,000 grant.

Johnson says removing the rundowns ultimately helps the community.

"All of the buildings we're looking at taking down are ones we have complaints on," Johnson said.

"They're not meeting our standards for exterior maintenance. They've become a safety hazard for people in the community and they're just basically an eye sore. People don't want them in their neighborhood anymore."

Soon people won't have to complain anymore.

Story By: Matt Doyle