An unusual coalition of characters have declared tentative success following the City Council’s vote to temporarily expand a historical district to include The Showbox Theater. Organizers began mobilizing in an attempt to thwart the theater’s demolition and replacement with a luxury apartment complex as soon as the proposal was announced in July.
The vote means that the music venue will be added to the district for 10 months while the city weighs “the permanent expansion of the Historical District.”
Whether the move will ultimately save The Showbox is unclear. The developer could walk away from the project rather than face continued uncertainty and, in letters first published by journalist Erica Barnett, attorneys for the owner, Roger Forbes, stated they had the right to develop.
Ashley Archibald is a Staff Reporter covering local government, policy and equity. Have a story idea? She can be can reached at ashleya (at) realchangenews (dot) org. Follow Ashley on Twitter @AshleyA_RC
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