Viewfinder: House Comes Down in Frenchtown

A group of neighbors in Frenchtown watched as a house on North Third Street was torn down on Thursday afternoon.

One side of the duplex in December that fire fighters said may have been caused by a space heater left on. The duplex was built in 1927.

Ed Akers and Christine Berry, who have restored several homes in Frenchtown, plan to build a new house in that spot.

Akers said the new house will be New Orleans style house.

Roy Dejaymes, 75, who lives in the neighborhood, watched the house come down. He said his parents used to live on one side of the duplex and his sister lived on the other side about 30 years ago.

Neighbors Mary Matson and Rick Bouxsein picked up rocks and chucked them through the glass in the still-temporarily-intact windows.

"How often can you do that?" asked Mary.