PHOTOS: Bruegger's Bagels demolition draws a crowd in Iowa City

UPDATE: An Iowa City restaurant destroyed by fire is coming down.

Demolition crews from Kelly Demolition, LLC of Mount Vernon, began knocking down Bruegger's Bagels, 225 Iowa Avenue, shortly before 8 a.m. Tuesday.

“I used to go to Bruegger's quite a bit,” said Austin Williamson, who stopped by the demolition site. “I was really disappointed that it burned down.”

The cause of the Sept. 24, 2011, fire remains under investigation, but officials have said they believe the blaze started in the kitchen area of the bagel shop. The historic Van Patten house on Linn Street was also destroyed in the fire.

“I just think it's sad, it's sad when there's any fire and they have to destroy a building,” said Jean Gordon as she watched crews pull down the second story walls of Bruegger's. “What's sad in this case is what went is two really old buildings.”

A series of large collapses drew a small crowd of spectators along Iowa Avenue Tuesday morning.

“It's neat, it's fun to watch,” said Nicki Kohler, who works nearby. “It's sad, but they're coming back.”

In October. Bruegger's Vice President of real estate, John Wadhams, said the business will rebuild in the same location. A date for reconstruction has not yet been set.

“It's pretty spectacular, all the bricks and windows, and the walls seem to be coming down,” Williamson said. “It's sort of heart-breaking, a nice little old building burned in the first place.”

It will take crews until the end of the week to remove both Bruegger's and the Van Patten house.

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