Norwich - Demolition of the largest building at the former Norwich Hospital has begun and, once completed, will open up a view of the Thames River from Route 12.

Another light may open up with the Ronald H. Kettle building's demolition - the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel in the long effort to obtain state and federal grants to finish razing the decaying buildings and other structures on the property, now called Preston Riverwalk.

Preston Redevelopment Agency Chairman Sean Nugent told the Board of Selectmen on Thursday that if the agency is successful in obtaining the $6.1 million in pending state and federal grant applications, that would provide the funding needed to essentially complete enough of the demolition required to call the site "shovel ready" to attract developers.

Nugent said more cleanup might need to be completed with developers on specific parcels. He said PRA officials are working with officials from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to identify which areas would need to be "residential development clean" and which areas can be designated as clean for industrial development.

Nugent said that, once the Kettle building is demolished, 78 percent of the building "footprint" on the entire campus will have been removed. Only eight structures will remain to be torn down, including one that straddles the Preston-Norwich border that cannot be demolished until a state contract with a developer for the Norwich piece of the former hospital property is completed, Nugent said.

The PRA has funding in hand from state and federal grants and loans to continue demolition work through March. By then, Nugent said, the agency hopes to learn whether it will receive a $500,000 state Small Town Economic Assistance Program grant that would cover demolition of a 1950s building on the property.

The town hopes to hear by the end of May or early June on three $200,000 federal Environmental Protection Agency brownfields assessment grants - which would require a combined total $120,000 local match.

And the PRA will work with the state Department of Economic and Community Development to submit a $5 million state Urban Act grant application to the state Office of Policy and Management.

"We're very thankful for our relationship with the state, and we look forward to working with them on future development," Nugent said.

c.bessette@theday.com

Twitter: @Bessettetheday