UPDATE: City Council approves landmarks just in time...

...for demolition

Today, Houston City Council voted to designate the River Oaks Shopping Center, River Oaks Theater, Alabama Shopping Center, and Alabama Theater as historic landmarks, though it will not afford the structures any protection from Weingarten Realty's current and future decisions to demolish them.

According to Historic Houston, there were three dissenting votes from council members Michael Berry (big surprise), Addie Wiseman (who tagged this measure last week), and Pam Holm.

Save Our Landmarks invites folks to attend a gathering at the upstairs bar of the River Oaks Theater this evening at 5pm to celebrate the passing of the measure, and also to discuss more ways to help preserve the remaining structures.

The original ninety day wait on demolition that just ended was initiated when the Houston Archaeological and Historical Commission began the historic landmark designation process, so there will not be another waiting period now that the landmark status is official - Weingarten must now only secure the demolition permit from the city to start up the bulldozers.