Federal officials say they will give a tornado-ravaged Alabama town $840,000 to fund the long-delayed demolition of nearly its entire downtown.

Federal Emergency Management Agency spokesman Danon Lucas said the grant will cover 90 percent of the cost of demolishing what's left of downtown Cordova. The town was hit by two tornadoes in the April 27, 2011, onslaught.

It could still be weeks before work begins. Officials must obtain final bids and supply additional documentation for the work, initially estimated to cost around $1 million.

Concerns over the historical significance of the damaged buildings resulted in delays in federal funding approval.

Located about 35 miles northwest of Birmingham, Cordova began in the 1880s at a spot where two railroad lines converged.