The City of Greenville demolished buildings next to the water department Wednesday. The demolition intends to clear space for a newer, more accommodating building for the water department.

However, Mayor Dexter McLendon said they are still in the early stages of relocating the aging water department.

“We’re not there yet,” McLendon said. “It’s a good time of year, here during the winter months, to go ahead and get the spot cleared.”

Joby Norman, chairman of the Water Works and Sewer Board, said money is holding the plan up.

“We put out bids for the construction but everything came back too high,” Norman said. “We made a few changes to the plan, and we are fixing to put out another bid reflecting the change.”

The current water department building, Norman said, is over 80 years old. Over the years it has served as a city library and chamber of commerce before the water department located there.

Two buildings were demolished to make room for the construction. Both the former State Farm insurance buildings and the other, a dentist’s office, were purchased by the water department in preparation of the move.

“This month we will hopefully get things moving again and make more progress at our next meeting in February,” Norman said.

The Water and Sewer board meets at the end of each month.