JEFFERSON CITY — Puri Group Enterprises, the owner of the Truman Hotel, began demolishing the abandoned building Monday.

"We were getting continuous harassment from the various city members that wanted the hotel raised," Raman Puri, president of Puri Group Enterprises, said. "They don't understand it costs money to get things raised, they're not free."

What was once one of the nicer hotels in Jefferson City is now what residents describe as an "eyesore" that they're glad to see go.

"It's been a pretty consistent eyesore," said Sage McCormick, a Jefferson City resident who works right next to the hotel. "I'm just happy it's gone."

The enterprise group is taking out loans to pay for the demolition, which Puri said costs almost $1.2 million.

The hotel closed down in 2017 as a part of a

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