GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) – The former Regency Inn on O. Henry Boulevard has sparked debate among Greensboro city leaders for years. The site has been passed back and forth. Now, it officially belongs to the City of Greensboro. On Monday, they started demolition. It might not look like too much at the site, but after years of waiting, the movement of machines is a huge step forward. For years, it has been a problem spot, and the buildings getting knocked down is the first step to new life in the neighborhood. “We want something good to come out of this,” said Randy Parker, who has lived near the site for 52 years. He says the last couple of years have been tough. Walls were knocked down as machines clawed their way into new territory. “Let’s help our homeless,” Parker said. That statement is something neighbors and the city can agree on. “The goal for the City of Greensboro really is to get as many units of affordable housing created as we can,” Greensboro Housing and Neighborhood Development Director Michelle Kennedy said. Kennedy said the options at the site are unlimited as they wait to see what developers include in their proposals. “We are looking for projects that maximize affordable housing potential on this site and still meet with ... the character of the neighborhood that surrounds it,” Kennedy said. The space is huge, and it’s a blank canvas to create change for hundreds in need. “We believe this site could accommodate between 150 and 200 units, so that's really what we're looking at. I’d say somewhere in the ballpark between 100 and 200 units,” Kennedy said. On Monday, the machines were moving. Progress at the site is promising, but it will likely be a few years before a new building is standing here. “Development is not a fast process, so any developer that's considering acquiring a site is going to need to do some due diligence ... They're going to take a look at what they think could best be developed on this site,” Kennedy said. The demolition will take about three weeks to complete. During that time, the city will collect the development proposals. There is no timeline yet for when a developer will be selected.