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MOUNDSVILLE - Don Beaver is tired of waking up every day to see the eyesore across the street from his home.

For years, the Walnut Avenue resident has had a view of the former Fostoria Glass factory as it sits, partially demolished, near the corner of First Street and Fostoria Avenue.

Dust and fallen bricks adorn the surrounding sidewalk, resting in the same spots on which they fell following a September fire at the structure. Police tape ropes off sections of the sidewalk to prevent pedestrians from injury, and the rest of the factory is gated, surrounding charred remains and rubble from the buildings that once employed nearly 1,000 people.

"They just need to knock it down," Beaver said as his arm made a sweeping motion. "It's dangerous."

Moundsville taxpayers bought the site years ago with the intention of developing it into a strip mall. Soon after, demolition crews began tearing down the factory.

Demolition crews discovered asbestos at the factory in 2007, which prompted city officials to hire crews from Liberty Enterprises to remove the hazardous material.

The asbestos find began a long list of problems at the site.

First, in December 2007, the contract with site developer Harold Games of GAB Enterprises expired. GAB Enterprises is a company Games formed along with Lewis Aulenbaucher and Tom Brown of Raze International, a firm that specializes in industrial and commercial development.

Because Games also had a contract with Liberty Enterprises for the asbestos removal, the abatement process had to be put on hold until the city renewed the contract in 2008. Abatement resumed, according to City Manager Allen Hendershot, but a recent fire in the factory's administration building has slowed the demolition process.

The lack of progress has Beaver, along with Accessories Ltd. owner Jack Zukoff, angry.

"If it had been an individual person (that owned the property) they would have been fined," Zukoff said. "It makes Moundsville look bad."

Noting he has been in his current location across from the factory for 18 years, Zukoff said he's slowly watched the factory, which closed in 1986, disintegrate. Calling the situation "ridiculous," Zukoff said he cannot figure out why it is taking so long to tear the structure down.

"I've talked to demolition people that say you could have it down in one week," Zukoff said. The city "needs to get it down."

Zukoff said he has, on several occasions, called police after seeing juveniles inside the factory area. He said he fears for the safety of area children, as well as the pedestrians and motorists nearby.

"It's hazardous," Zukoff said. "It's laying in the street."

Beaver agreed, pointing out Fostoria's location along the busy U.S. 250, which can bring travelers into the city's business district.

"This is supposed to be a town of business," Beaver said. "What's the first thing (motorists) see? An eyesore?"

Kevin Denholm, owner of Mitchell's Cafe on First Street, was more positive, expressing confidence that city leaders will come through on the project.

"The city is trying to make progress with this," Denholm said. "I think it's unfortunate what happened with the fire ... but I'm confident that eventually they will get it done."

While he acknowledged that a strip mall could be beneficial to his business, Denholm said the state of the building is not having a negative effect on his business, as he feels city residents are used to seeing the factory in its current condition.

"Most of the residents in Moundsville pretty much resign themselves to the fact that this is something that is going to take awhile," Denholm said. "I think only time will heal this open wound in Moundsville."

The city has applied for and received a $180,000 federal Brownfields grant for the property's continued cleanup. As part of the grant, the city provides $20,000.

According to Hendershot, while asbestos still needs to be removed from the factory, the amount left inside is minimal, noting it mainly remains in floor tiles and window caulking in the center structures of the factory. He said, for months now, crews have been working to remove it, but the majority of that work, because of its location, cannot be seen by passersby.