EAST ALTON - The old Olin headquarters now owned by Wieland Company on Shamrock Street in East Alton is in the demolition process.
East Alton Mayor Darren Carlton said he understood some of those who expressed sadness about the old Olin administrative building demolition, but at the same time, he understood that times change.
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Alton's Abe Lee Barham, who worked for Olin Corporation over the years and in its prime, said it was "sad to see the demolition." He remembers when the Olin business in that vicinity once employed 2,000 people and he said it felt like a part of area history was being torn down piece by piece.
"I came back here to the East Alton Police in 2015, and I remember they were getting rid of old chairs and furniture, etc. from the administrative building," Carlton said. "Times do change and sometimes old buildings get torn down and new ones go back up, that is just the way it is."
Mayor Carlton grew up in East Alton and he said when he was a young man, business was booming in the downtown area and the corporate offices were always busy.
Mayor Carlton was uncertain what Weiland's plans were with the building, but said the structure had been vacant since 2015 or 2016.
