NATCHEZ — The walls were to come tumbling down at one of three properties approved for demolition this Labor Day, but the abandoned structure at 1024 Martin Luther King St. remains standing.

“Once again we’ve had a shuffling of things on that deal,” said Natchez Building Inspector Paul Dawes. “To avoid as much cost to the city as possible, the owner has come in and agreed to take it down himself.”

Dawes said the owner has agreed to a Sept. 23 deadline for clearing the property. A local contractor had bid on the demolition before an agreement was reached between the city and the owner.

The Natchez Board of Alderman voted last month to proceed with the demolition of the Martin Luther King Street structure, as well as two other structures at 12 Irving Lane and Winston Hill.

Dawes said the latter properties are owned by the state and must be released from the state before demolition can proceed.

Dawes has sent letters requesting the properties be released. Once the state greenlights the demolition, the city can break out of its holding pattern.

“We still haven’t heard from the state yet,” Dawes said. “I’m going to call and rattle their cage a little.”