Robbinsdale Group Files Appeal After Ruling In Historic Theater Case
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The battle to save a historic theater in Robbinsdale is not over yet.
The Friends of the Terrace Theater has filed an appeal on a recent ruling that denied their request of a restraining order preventing the theater's demolition.
On July 13, 2016, Iowa-based grocery store Hy-Vee announced they were planning to expand their presence in the Twin Cities and build another location in Robbsindale. The 91,550 square-foot store was planned to go where the Terrace stood.
Friends of the Terrace put together a petition and gathered over 1,000 signatures calling for a boycott of the grocer.
The Robbsindale City Council addressed the issue in late August, but said it is not within the city's means to rehabilitate the building and decided to go ahead with the construction project.
A day after the meeting, the group filed a lawsuit to stop crews from tearing it down. The lawsuit asked for a temporary restraining order that would prevent demolition.
On Monday, a judge denied the order.
On Friday, the group filed an appeal stating the court did not understand their role in case.
They said they were simply acting to preserve the theater, not attempting to become involved in the redevelopment project.
Their appeal also states the court's job was only to determine if the building had historic relevance, which the group said it did, not to determine alternatives to redevelopment.
The Terrace Theater, which sits on France Avenue North in Robbinsdale, opened in 1951. It has been closed since 1999.
