Convent Demolition on Hold

A temporary restraining order will freeze the plans to knock down the vacant Convent of the Holy Nativity in Fond du Lac. A judge made the ruling just weeks after the city hired a contractor to demolish the building along East Division Street by the end of the year. The ruling also prevents contractors from starting pre-demolition work. The owner of the building says the raze order came from poor communication between him and the city – and the city says they have tried to work with him since the building was destroyed in a fire back in 2015. Investigators believe that fire was set intentionally, but nobody has been charged in connection to that blaze. The owner claims there are plans to renovate and reuse the building for other purposes down the line.