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COLUMBIA, MO. -- Stephens College is tearing down some historic homes.

College officials said the homes are run-down and will be replaced with green space.

Neighbors said the homes will be sorely missed. 

"It's just sad, I'm always sad when a part of the history of not only Columbia but Stephens College has to be raised," neighbor Peter Byger said.

Byger lives just down the street from the homes on Walnut Street, East of Stephens College. He said he's sad to see them go.

"We really should do everything we can to preserve our history and preserve the domestic architecture," Byger said.

He's not the only one sorry to see the homes demolished, contractor Mark Bebeszko has been working on a house just across from the bungalows.

"There has been a very very large public interest in the houses across the street," Bebeszko said. "A lot of people have been taking pictures, a lot of journalists, and I think there's a lot of old fond memories going on over there that people are probably remembering and trying to reminisce about."

The college said they've owned the six houses since the 1960's, but in recent years they haven't updated them, and they were just too costly to repair.

“Its an unfortunate situation," Stephens College's Sara Fernandez said. "Actually we worked with the historic preservation commission for a while before we even applied for the permit, and together we looked at our options, we explored several different possibilities and we came to the conclusion that the only feasible course of action was to take them down."

In the end, even Byger agreed that they need to be taken down because the homes are old.

The college said they plan to put a green space in that will contribute to the community.