PCI DemoCon, the City of Auburn’s demolition contractor for the Marvel and Crites-Huff buildings, began the teardown Monday.

City officials said that the discovery of additional asbestos in the Marvel building had prompted the contractor to delay the start date from last week.

The Marvel Building is located on the southwest corner of West Main and South Division Street, and the Crites Huff building is one block south of it on the southwest corner of 1st Street Southwest and South Division. Those buildings must fall to allow South Division to be widened for the Promenade Project.

City Council members last month awarded the demolition contract for both buildings to PCI Democon, at a total contract cost of $166,352.

But the City also authorized an agreement between the City and the Business Bank of Skagit County that allows the bank to tear down its holding, the Charlie Wong building, at about the same time. The bank has chosen to use the City’s contractor, but the tell-tale signs of preparation, including a protective fence, are not yet visible around the Charlie Wong building, so demolition may not be simultaneous.

According to a 1924 warranty deed between the owner of Marvel (now the City) and the owner of Charlie Wong, if the owner of Marvel tears its building down, that owner will be responsible for rebuilding the common wall with the Charlie Wong building. In lieu of rebuilding that wall, the City agreed to contribute $30,000 to the Business Bank for demolition.