BILLINGS Crews began demolition on the historic Cardwell-Yegen home in downtown Billings Wednesday morning.The house, built in the 1890s, is one of the last residential properties in the downtown area. The Yegen family plans to lease the property to nearby daycare, The Learning Grove, and build a playground in the homes place at the intersection of Third Avenue North and North 30th Street.Watch report: Demolition begins on historic downtown Billings home to make way for playground"I think it's going to be a good addition to the community," said property owner Charlie Yegen.Yegen, whose grandparents were Peter Yegen Jr. and Zellah Cardwell Yegen, said he has many fond memories of visiting his grandparents while they lived in the house. He called it his familys focal point. "This is as difficult a thing as Ive ever been through," said Yegen.I'm very confident that we will put a deal together with the daycare center so that this could be a playground. And I think that that sort of alternative would be something my grandmother would approve of, he added. Yegen said he and his family made the decision to demolish the house when costs for hail damage repairs, taxes and utility upgrades became too overwhelming."We had a lot of issues that we had to be concerned about and out of the ranch, it was more difficult for us to respond to problems," said Yegen, whose family has not occupied the home for years. The demolition sparked sadness for some Billings residents, who remember the home as a downtown landmark."It's bittersweet. I understand progress has to happen, and the city grows. The city's changed. We've lost a lot. This used to all be residential, said Rebecca Heimbuck, who runs the "Billings, Montana As She Was Is" Facebook page."I think that is a beneficial use," she added, commenting on the plans for a playground. Crews plan to finish demolition in a couple days."We're hoping to be done by this weekend," Knife River Construction crew member Ben Negaard said Wednesday morning. The Yegen-Cardwell house is the second historic downtown building to be demolished in as many days. On Monday, demolition began on the Colonial Apartments, which have been turned over to RiverStone Health.Related: Troubled Colonial Apartments to be demolished, replaced with health services ...read more read less