TOPEKA (KSNT) – A downtown Topeka location is facing demolition following a city council vote.
The Topeka City Council voted in favor of demolishing the building during their Aug. 9 meeting.
The building at 735 S. Kansas Ave. was up for discussion during Tuesday night’s city council meeting after the Topeka Landmarks Commission voted in favor of demolition in July. All that remained was approval from the Topeka City Council.
The property, owned by Aim Strategies, will be developed into a two-story Mexican restaurant called Ta Co.
Earlier in the day, Councilwoman Karen Hiller said a developer was planning to tear down the old structure and fill the space with a new building. Hiller said the vote was necessary because the area is a historic district and there are rules in place to protect the buildings in that area that have historic value.
”There’s controversy often when somebody suggests a demolition in a historic district, but that’s why you create the district. So that you do have that conversation and everybody’s vetted it all the way through before action is taken,” Hiller said.
Hiller told KSNT 27 News that Downtown Topeka Incorporated has had no pushback about the demolition.
Aim Strategies have submitted renderings of the rooftop restaurant that is proposed for the location.