Preservationists had been trying for years to convince county officials it was worth saving, and that what they called an "irreplaceable landmark" was worth the cost.
But county leaders believed it was not up to modern standards for courtrooms and other facilities, and that years of deferred maintenance had resulted in it being too costly to renovate.
On Monday, the city of Rock Island issued a demolition permit, and crews began clearing the property of trees and bushes to make way for the actual demolition to begin.