Ellington

Demolition crews surprised neighbors on Sept. 21, 2017, when they destroyed two old buildings on North State Street, including the Fondren House, also called the “Yellow House,” which originally housed the Fondren family and may date back to 1905. The Roman-brick building on the left was recently the site of Kinetic Staffing.

A local business owner videotaped the destruction of the Fondren House at 2819 North State St. on Sept. 21, 2017.

Some neighbors had tried to save the Fondren house, but the Sept. 21, 2017, demolition happened 36 hours after a community meeting about the hotel and upcoming demolitions so they ran out of time.

After the initial Sept. 21 demolition, the Fondren neighborhood looked very different.

During the initial demolition, some neighbors were concerned about the potential environmental impact of demolishing old buildings that probably had asbestos still in them.

Former Fondren resident Brian Heffner, who does architectural and remodeling work, visited the hotel site after the initial demolitions to see his old duplex and believed he could see an “asbestos trail.” He reported his concerns to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.

Brian Heffner’s duplex is no longer standing, but his call to MDEQ led to a temporary halting of the demolition for a check for asbestos on the site, which was found and addressed, the State confirmed.

The long-time restaurant at 2801 North State St. housed Que Sera Sera for many years and, more recently, Green Ghost Tacos, which is trying to locate elsewhere in Fondren by January 2018.

Demolition work had rebooted on the hotel site by Oct. 3, 2017, when crews demolished the old Que Sera Sera/Green Ghost restaurant site at 2801 North State St.

On the morning of Oct. 4, 2017, no visible crew members were on the site of the former Green Ghost Tacos at 2801 North State St., which closed Sept. 10, due to the hotel plan. The rubble was visible from Lorenz Boulevard through a large open gate.

The day after the Oct. 3, 2017, Green Ghost demolition, the building lay in a diverse mix of bubble.

The former Que Sera Sera restaurant had a long and storied history in Jackson, especially its large patio, which won repeated Best of Jackson awards for best outdoor dining. By Oct. 3, 2017, only the entryway was left standing.

The Lorenz Boulevard gate to the Green Ghost demolition site was open the morning after the Oct. 2, 2017, demolition.

One wall inside the former Green Ghost/Que Sera Sera building was partially standing the morning after its demolition.

After months of rumors about a hotel in Fondren, Heritage Hospitality Group released this rendering in late August. It was developed by a Florida-based architect.

The Hilton hotel developers displayed this hotel plan at a Sept. 19, 2017, community meeting in September. Some residents say it does not match the rendering.