"Higgins now has a steady income stream and no motivation to actually do anything with the buildings. He can continue to pocket the advertising incrome from now until the building collapses. "

Too bad that the DDA/DEGC similarly mismanages the buildings that they own and control thus depriving them of any legitimacy to be able to ask anyone in town to keep up their own. But the demolition machine needs to be fed so the apologists for the DDA/DEGC are more concerned with making excuses for the failings of Geo. Jackson and Co. than pointing out the need for the DDA/DEGC to act as a responsible landlord, not a slumlord engaging in demolition-by-neglect.