Part of a historic downtown Richmond building must be demolished, according to the Richmond Historic Preservation Commission’s president.
Roxie Deer said during the commission’s Feb. 9 meeting that the back portion of the former Tivoli Theater building at 900 E. Main St. is not salvageable because of significant damage it has sustained remaining vacant for more than a decade. Deer, who was answering a question from a member of the public, said there’s a significant hole in the roof.
The demolition must progress through multiple city processes before it can be demolished, Deer said. The front portion, which is about 2,600 of the building’s 18,393 square feet, could be saved.
The building was built in 1924 and most recently housed Hoppe Jewelers before it consolidated operations at its east-side location.
Grassroots Neighborhood Coalition, a nonprofit formed by the city, currently owns the building.
To begin the meeting, Deer was elected this year’s president, with Chamaea Edwards being elected vice president.
Commission members discussed member training through a Preserving Historic Places program in Franklin later this year. They also discussed pursuing an Indiana Humanities grant to provide training to local owners of historic homes.
A version of this article appeared in the February 18 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.