ONE BUILDING IN THE 600 BLOCK OF DOUGLAS STREET WILL BE TORN DOWN, ANOTHER WILL BE PRESERVED IN A PLAN CONFIRMED BY CITY OFFICIALS.
RENAE BILLINGS OF THE CITY’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT SAYS A DEVELOPER IS PLANNING TO RESTORE THE BUILDING AT 615 DOUGLAS, DIRECTLY ACROSS THE ALLEY FROM THE CITY’S POLICE AND FIRE HEADQUARTERS:
DOUGLAS1 OC…….MOVE FORWARD. :29
615 DOUGLAS WAS A CAR DEALERSHIP IN ITS EARLY DAYS, AND LATER HOUSED A PRINTING BUSINESS.
CITY MANAGER BOB PADMORE SAYS THE ADJOINING BUILDING, 625 DOUGLAS STREET, WILL NOW BE COMPLETELY DEMOLISHED:
DOUGLAS2 OC…….ADDITIONAL PARKING. :23
THAT BUILDING WAS THE ORIGINAL CITY AUDITORIUM, THEN SERVED AS THE STUDIOS OF CHANNEL 9 TV, AND WAS TO BE THE HOME OF LAMB ARTS THEATER, BUT A PARTIAL ROOF COLLAPSE AND OTHER STRUCTURAL ISSUES RESULTED IN 625 DOUGLAS BEING RED TAGGED AND PARTIALLY DEMOLISHED.
BILLINGS SAYS WHEN THE WORK INVOLVING BOTH STRUCTURES IS FINISHED, IT SHOULD SPUR MORE ACTIVITY IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA:
DOUGLAS3 OC……..AND COMMERCIAL. :09
PADMORE SAYS FOR NOW THERE IS A LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING WITH THE DEVELOPER, SO IT WON’T BE ON MONDAY’S COUNCIL AGENDA:
DOUGLAS4 OC…ONCE AGAIN. ;24
PADMORE SAYS THE FACADE OF THE FORMER AUDITORIUM TV STATION WILL BE TORN DOWN WITH THE REST OF THE BUILDING.
