Iowa City government helps preserve historic building

Iowa City leaders are stepping forward to help save an historic downtown theatre. Mayor Ernie Lehman says council members propose buying the Englert Theatre to give a citizens group more time to raise the money they need to buy and preserve the aging structure.Members of the citizens’ group want to turn the 88-year-old Englert into a community theatre. Dick Summerwill is a member of the Englert Coalition and he praises the city’s actions.The Englert Coalition has to raise nearly one-million dollars to buy the building back from the city. The original deadline was last week. The city council is expected to approve the purchase of the theatre this week.