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Restraining Order Protecting WPA Building Dismissed

Last week, the State Fair Board voted to stop plans for the WPA building’s demolition indefinitely.
(Photo by Alexandra Olgin - KJZZ)
Last week, the State Fair Board voted to stop plans for the WPA building’s demolition indefinitely.

A Maricopa County judge has dismissed an order keeping the state from demolishing a historic building on the state fairgrounds, according to the City of Phoenix. The move comes after a state board agreed to halt the building’s destruction.

Historic preservation advocates sounded the alarm after learning that a 1938 Works Progress Administration building that’s fallen into disrepair was going to be knocked down. The City of Phoenix joined with the preservationists and got a temporary restraining order in Maricopa County Superior Court.

Last week, the State Fair Board voted to stop plans for the WPA building’s demolition indefinitely. Tuesday, the parties agreed to drop the restraining order, with the stipulation that the board won’t consider destroying the building without holding an open meeting, and that it will notify the city and preservationists of the meeting three business days in advance.

Nick Blumberg was a senior field correspondent at KJZZ from 2010 to 2014.