Meeting Time: April 21, 2022 at 9:00am PDT
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Agenda Item

1.-LL. ID 22-613 Actions Pertaining to the Acquisition of property at 1247 North Wishon (APN 451-265-02) and 777 East Olive Avenue (APN 451-265-03) 1. Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption pursuant to Section 15301/Class 1 (Existing Facilities) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) guidelines for the project. 2. Approve a Resolution Establishing a Policy for the Preservation and Use of the Tower Theatre Property and Authorizing Purchase of the Tower Theatre Property. 3. Approve a Joint Litigation, Defense, and Indemnity Agreement by and between the City of Fresno, the Tower Theatre Entities and Sequoia Brewery 4. Approve a Purchase and Sale Agreement and Joint Escrow Instructions by and between City of Fresno, Tower Theater Productions, Fidelity National Title Insurance Company, and Tower Theatre Productions for the Performing Arts for real property at 1247 North Wishon (APN 451-265-02) and 777 East Olive Avenue (APN 451-265-03) for $6,500,000. 5. Approve a Purchase and Sale Agreement and Joint Escrow Instructions by and between City of Fresno and J&A Mash & Barrell, LLC., and Fidelity National Title Insurance Company for a portion of the real property at 777 East Olive Avenue (APN 451-265-03) for $1,200,000.

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    Geanie Silva over 2 years ago

    The Tower Theatre should be purchased by the City of Fresno and ran as a arts and entertainment theater. It is in the heart of the Tower District. Throughout the theater's history of arts, entertainment and community events and support, not once speaking in a demeaning or demoralizing way of the businesses the community the neighborhood the people that live in the Tower District. We do not need the Tower theater to be at church with that character.

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    Suzanne Weinstein over 2 years ago

    I strongly support this potential action taken by The City of Fresno, utilizing my tax dollars, to purchase The Tower Theater with the purpose of preservation of a beautiful, essential center to the inclusive, colorful culture of the Tower District. It is the responsibility of our city leaders to act in the interest of healthy community by building boundaries around entities that would choose to condemn and exclude the citizens of Fresno based on protected statuses.

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    Kelly Caplan over 2 years ago

    Save tower theatre!

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    Brittany Barnes over 2 years ago

    The Tower Theater is a part of Fresno’s history & should remain open for the arts, music & movies. Keep the Tower a cultural arts neighborhood & save the Theater!

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    Thomas Lake over 2 years ago

    Keep our cultural center free of your lies and fairytales.

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    erica nichols over 2 years ago

    I support the city’s purchase of Tower Theatre

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    Kaylene V over 2 years ago

    There are plenty of areas in this town to have a church, tower is not the place for it. Tower district is to celebrate local creatives, festivals, LGBTQ+, and small businesses both with and without liquor licenses. This church clearly has other agendas and was not at all covid safe during major shutdowns, obviously not caring about the surrounding community/other lives in general. This is a beautiful and historic part of Fresno that needs to be preserved and celebrated for what it is, not diminished by a church trying to change the culture around it. Keep Tower weird!

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    Dakota Simpson over 2 years ago

    I support the city purchase of the tower theatre. This home of culture and art must be restored to the people who need it most.

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    Monica Castillo over 2 years ago

    I support the city’s purchase of Tower Theatre.

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    Nick Keller over 2 years ago

    It's simple. Keep tower away from the hands of people that want to rid a good community. It's hard to express how much damage churches can do to society if you haven't come from it. Fresno doesn't need their brainwashed negativity.

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    J D over 2 years ago

    In favor of preserving one of cities most beautiful historic buildings

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    Jackie Meador over 2 years ago

    I support the City of Fresno to purchase and preservation of the Tower Theater

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    Josie Souza over 2 years ago

    The Tower District is half the reason I moved to Fresno. Its welcoming atmosphere, its LGBTQIA+ community and supporters, and its forward thinking nature provides a safe space for people who exist outside of what society dictates as the mainstream norm. By purchasing the Tower Theater, the City of Fresno would be preserving and upholding that legacy. So let’s do the right thing here. #KeepTowerWeird

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    Elizabeth Kus over 2 years ago

    Tower Theatre is historic! It should be preserved as the treasure it is. It should be protected as a pla e of art and free speech. It should never have been rented to a hate group that doesn't support the neighborhood. The Tower District is the only cultural and artistic area in Fresno, where all people are welcomed (as long as they support each other!) I know many LGBTQ youth and adults who would not still be alive if not for the culture and acceptance found in Tower. Fresno needs to buy and protect this monument and this beautiful neighborhood.

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    Bet Micu over 2 years ago

    In full support of the city’s purchase of the Tower Theatre. Preserve the safe space that it has created for its community!

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    Shawn Wilson over 2 years ago

    I proudly support this and hope that the Tower Theater can be purchased by the city and preserved for the people in the greater community instead of those with selfish, limited interests in the mind.

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    Shane Spears over 2 years ago

    Save the Tower Theatre for everyone. This city needs a vibrant art scene, nightlife and all the things we all enjoy in the Tower district. Letting a deep pocketed church come in and try to take over the neighborhood and put in jeopardy all the liquor licenses and business investment in the district and potential robbing hard working American patriots of their right to enjoy cold beer and live music. That would be a disgrace and and tragedy and blight this end of town. It's time for the city to invest in the north star of the arts in this city and save the last remaining independent theatre is this whole town.

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    Jules Espinoza over 2 years ago

    tower to the people, a safe space for the lgbtq+ community!

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    Sam Jackson over 2 years ago

    I FULLY support the city of Fresno purchasing the Tower Theater!

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    Lauren Baker over 2 years ago

    The Tower District is safe haven for not only our local creatives, but all of our LGBTQ and misrepresented communities. All the businesses here, new and decades long, are our friends. Tower residents are more than neighbors, we’re family. And if the protestors standing up for us for over a year doesn’t show that, I don’t know what will. Please protect the neighborhood and everything that makes us up from terrorists that plague our streets every week with the sole intention of scaring us out of our homes.