One of Bermuda’s oldest housing blocks looks set to face the wrecking ball within weeks.

Victoria Row in Sandys, near the entrance to the Royal Naval Dockyard, was built in the 1840s to provide low-cost housing for residents.

But the three Victoria Row buildings that accommodate more than 30 separate homes have fallen into disrepair and have not been lived in for more than a year.

The landowners, West End Development Corporation (Wedco), say they have done everything they could to attract investment and to find a viable solution that would incorporate the old structure, but without luck.

Wedco’s general manager Andrew Dias said that demolition was the only viable option.

“Over the last year or so we have put out several requests for proposals looking for ways to save Victoria Row and other old buildings in the area,” he said. “We were hopeful that someone would be willing to invest.

“Since that time we have had two hurricanes which have caused even more damage to the building, and there are concerns about the asbestos in the building that needs to be removed.

“We have had ongoing issues with vagrants on a daily basis and other unauthorised use of the property.

“We have done everything in our power to find a solution, including going to the public and asking if they would invest. Everyone has an opinion but few people have come with a solution.”

The idea of levelling Victoria Row was first mooted in 2009, but a final decision over the property’s fate was only made at the beginning of last month once all other avenues had been exhausted.

This week, Wedco advertised a request for proposal for tenders to conduct the demolition work as well as dealing with the asbestos. Mr Dias added: “After we weighed up all the pros and cons we decided that our final decision had to be raze the building.

“Once we have received tenders for the work, and once we have received a demolition permit which we have applied for from planning, work could begin within the next couple of weeks.”

Mr Dias said that Wedco was still looking at ways of saving other deteriorating buildings in the West End, including Albert Row.

However, he admitted they could go the same way as Victoria Row if investment could not be found.

“I want to take this opportunity to say that we have other structures that we are still actively looking for a solution to, like Albert Row, that require more than just ideas.

“If anyone has the ability or interest to invest in any of these old structures we would like to hear from them.

“We continue to do our best to restore the old buildings inside Dockyard and have made significant improvements to some structures recently.”