GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) -Preservation advocates are urging residents to show up and speak out as Gainesville city staff recommend demolition of the Thelma A. Boltin Center

“We need to save it, we need to save this building,” a supporter said at the site, echoing a refrain preservationists plan to carry into Thursday’s meeting at City Hall, which begins at 1 p.m.

The Boltin Center, a longtime community gathering space near the Duckpond neighborhood, closed in 2020 after structural issues were identified. On Dec. 7, 2023, commissioners voted to save the building and set aside $3 million to start repairs.

RELATED: Commissioners approve plan for Thelma A. Boltin Center in split vote

Detailed construction documents for Phase 1, structural stabilization, were completed. City staff say tha

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