By Jennifer Edwards
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Preliminary work has begun to demolish Anderson, Baiter & Sahnd Funeral Home in Clifton despite a fight by some who wanted to save it as a buffer between residential and business districts. Enquirer file

CLIFTON - The wrecking ball is about to hit the 100-year-old Anderson, Baiter & Sahnd Funeral Home, despite neighbors' efforts to save it.

Custom builder Jack Brand has closed on a purchase of the funeral home, leaders of the neighborhood association, Clifton Town Meeting, announced Wednesday in an e-mail to the community.

Workers were in the Clifton Avenue building Wednesday, removing fixtures and asbestos.

After that work is complete, in about seven to 10 days, demolition will begin, the e-mail stated.

"Most people have had an opportunity to be heard, and I think that whatever goes in will be more lively than the funeral home," said Patrick Borders, president of the Clifton Town Meeting.

At the group's Aug. 2 meeting, Brand will discuss his plans for the funeral home site and a parcel nearby that he plans to redevelop with 13 homes.

Plans call for a 5,000-square-foot, four-story building to replace the funeral home with a restaurant on the first story and 12 apartments on the rest.

Brand, who also lives in Clifton, said Wednesday that just a small minority opposed his project.

He has maintained it isn't economically feasible to preserve the existing building and whatever is built would improve the area.

"The community council seems supportive of it and most people I know in the community seem to be in support of it. I think it will be good," said Brand, a former president of Clifton Town Meeting.

But about 100 residents and business owners fought to save the building from demolition, saying it was important it stay to serve as a buffer between Clifton's residential and business districts.

They have raised at least $40,000 in pledges toward purchasing the building.

Of particular interest to some was the funeral home's parking lot, which they hoped to convert into a public parking area to ease congestion along the Ludlow Avenue business district.

Some neighbors were upset and disappointed Wednesday.

"Everyone I have talked to would love to see it saved," said Ellen Bierhorst, a Clifton resident since 1957. "I am sure (Brand) is exaggerating that level of support. He's going to be right smack up against the sidewalk. It's going to be terrible."

Earlier this year, the city granted Brand a demolition permit for the building.

He originally planned for two businesses on the parcel, including one with a drive-through window.

Dozens of neighbors and business owners protested that, so Brand changed his plans, taking out the drive-through request.

E-mail jedwards@enquirer.com.