By razing the Terrace, the city of Robbinsdale would be making a decision contrary to their own self-interest. Downtown Minneapolis has seen an influx of condos being built for the upsurge in Millennials moving back into the city both from the suburban metro & out of the state. Barring a catastrophic downturn in the economy, what you'll eventually see is that trend heading up Broadway Ave towards Robbinsdale & what those people are attracted to is the charm of the city & the abundance of post-WWII, mid-century architecture that ISN'T the cookie-cutter clones that is prevalent in virtually every other suburb & with some investment, the Terrace Theater would be the shining jewel for the city like it once was. A big box store is not going to be a draw in & of itself, especially when there's another Hy-Vee a mere 3 1/2 miles from the proposed site. So, the city has to ask itself what it wants more, is it going to be a stable, charming city known for gently guiding growth while preserving it's landmarks or one that is just another knock-off of every other suburban development? I can tell you this, if you ask anyone who's moved close to an urban core in a major metropolitan area, the answer will never be, "because I like how I'm less than a mile from a Walmart." With a Walgreens, CVS & Cub Foods already so close, why do we need to destroy a fantastic example of architecture that Robbinsdale had so much civic pride in just for the prospect of having another place to buy Little Debbie Zebra Cakes. Rehabbing the Terrace is possible, but the real obstacle is the owners of the theater who were actively complicit in it's decline over the past 14 years.

#129: -  

 Well put