St. Elmo's closer to tear-down

Plans appear to be set in Palouse for the demolition of the St. Elmo's building, the 1888 former hotel on Main Street, for which its private owner has deemed further remodeling unfeasible.

The City of Palouse has also sought ways to preserve it.

"It's been a year-and-a-half search to find any resolution to save it," said Kyle Dixon, city administrator.

Problems include unreinforced masonry and other matters which suggest it could not pass a safety inspection for residential, without extensive work.

The hotel was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.

"The plan is to take t...