Norwich – After hearing once again from several residents who opposed the demolition of the Reid & Hughes Building, the City Council Monday approved a resolution affirming its stand to tear down the 1880 former department store, if allowed to do so by state historic preservation officials.

The council voted 5-2 Monday to approve a resolution authorizing City Manager John Salomone to issue a request for proposals “seeking engineering assistance in preparing for the demolition of the structure and seeking a qualified demolition contractor having sufficient experience and expertise to perform the necessary demolition, removal of debris and stabilization of the property.”

With the resolution approval, city Director of Inspections James Troeger will post a demolition pending sign Tuesday morning, starting a mandatory 60-day waiting period for the demolition of a historic building.

The vote was the same as the Oct. 3 vote on an ordinance to bond up to $800,000 to demolish the building, with Council President Pro Tempore Peter Nystrom and Alderman William Nash opposing the demolition. That vote came after a public hearing in which 16 people spoke against the demolition and none favored it.

On Monday, comments still were overwhelmingly in favor of preserving the building, while resident Kathleen Murphy asked the council to approve the demolition.

 “Let's move on,” she said.

The state Historic Preservation Council likely will hold a public hearing on the city's request to tear down the Reid & Hughes at its Dec. 7 meeting. The council will consider whether the demolition is a “reasonable destruction of a historic building,” or whether there is a “feasible and prudent” alternative to the demolition.

Dale Plummer, president of the Norwich Heritage Trust, which is leading the effort to save the Reid & Hughes, that the city has a prudent and feasible alternative to the demolition. The Women's Institute for Housing and Economic Development, which has a long track record of restoring decaying historic buildings, has proposed renovating the Reid & Hughes into 20 apartments.

The group asked the city to spend an estimated $300,000 to shore up the decaying roof and upper walls to allow time to secure financing for the $6 million project – including about 50 percent funding through federal and state historic preservation tax credits.

“I don't believe the city has proven there are not reasonable and prudent alternatives to demolishing this building,” Plummer, also the city historian, said.

The Norwich Heritage Trust is circulating a petition to be presented to the state Historic Preservation Council opposing the demolition of the Reid & Hughes.

c.bessette@theday.com