Demolition of the York Hotel began on February 4. The City of Edmonton became the owner of the hotel on 104 Avenue and 96 Street in March of 2010 after it was shut down for reasons of health and safety. Located across the street from the Downtown Division police station, the York was often visited by police several times a day. The original structure was the St. Petersburg Hotel, built in 1913. The building was no longer safe to lease out or leave vacant and it did not meet the City’s criteria for historical designation. New developments will be going up in the space left behind, as the City seeks potential partners interested in developing the land.