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Neighbors urge halt to Granada Theater demolition; council staff offer to follow up
Summary
Multiple residents and community groups told the Arts & Cultural Affairs Committee that a locally significant Granada Theater in East‑Texan/Jensen neighborhood faces imminent demolition and asked the city to halt permits and review options for preservation.
Several residents, artists and planning consultants used the public‑comment period to urge committee members to intervene after learning that the Granada Theater in the East‑Jensen neighborhood is slated for demolition.
Veronica "Ronnie" Cabrera, who said she operated an art center in the neighborhood with support from a 2020 Kelly Clarkson/HEB award, told the committee the theater "is about to get demolished by the end of this month or maybe next month" and asked council staff to "halt the demolition" so the community can be informed and pursue historic review or alternatives. Cabrera said the nonprofit purchaser does not yet have a completed capital campaign and that neighbors were not adequately notified.
Noe Moreno of Art in the Heart and Carlos Espinosa of CGA Planning and Design said the Granada is a cultural landmark with a long history of Spanish‑language film exhibition and Hispanic cultural significance. Moreno said the theater is "a symbol of art and film and also of Hispanic culture" and asked the city to preserve the building. Espinosa said neighborhood leaders and consulting planners are preparing a historic‑preservation outreach plan and requested the city's assistance to expedite review; he reported the community believes there are fewer than 30–60 days before demolition could begin.
Council and staff responses: committee members directed staff to connect community representatives with Councilmember Mario Castillo’s office (the district representative identified in the meeting) and suggested the neighborhood meet with permit and historic‑preservation staff to explore options. A staff member in the meeting agreed to engage with Cabrera and the community and to review permitting steps; council staff indicated they would follow up.
Speakers urged a temporary administrative pause on demolition permits to allow time for community education, possible fundraising, and historic review. The committee did not take any formal vote or issue an immediate moratorium; instead, staff said they would coordinate follow‑up conversations with the district office and affected community groups.
