While it might not be curtains for the People’s Theater, city council took steps to ensure something is done to the iconic Roanoke Rapids movie house — either shore it up or tear it down.

Action at tonight’s council meeting requests that the city attorney petition the court for an order requiring the property owner to comply with the order of the building inspector.

The action is the culmination of six years of back and forth correspondence with the owner of the building, Eric Bowman, a real estate development attorney from Arizona.

While Bowman has obtained building permits in those six years, little or no work was done on the building, which has now been determined by the planning and development department to be an unsafe building. “Staff has properly accomplished the required procedures and the owner has failed to comply with official’s orders,” says a memo contained in the city council agenda packet. “Staff, therefore, requests adoption of an ordinance by city council directing the city attorney to petition the general court of justice for an order requiring the owner of certain property located at 206 and 208 Roanoke Avenue to comply with the order of the building inspector to repair or demolish and remove the structures.”

Planning and Development Director Kelly Lasky in her presentation on the matter acknowledged the building holds sentimental value within the city and the planning department’s goal was not to diminish that value but to address the building’s current state.

The building has a litany of problems, memos contained in the file note — from the roof collapsing in some areas to noxious growth on the side of the building in areas.

Taxes in the amount of $1,807.47 are owed on 206 Roanoke Avenue for 2008-2011 and of $492.12 are owed for 208 Roanoke Avenue for the same years.

The marquee.

While Bowman did not attend the meeting, he sent the city a fax today objecting to the measure. “I have owned these properties in the city of Roanoke Rapids for the past seven years or so. Like many other investors, one of the main reasons that I elected to make an investment in the city of Roanoke Rapids was the potential opportunity to be part of the Carolina Crossroads Entertainment District and the vast development and entertainment opportunities that Roanoke Rapids would experience due to the success of this project.

“Well, need I say more, the project never happened or never developed into what we all expected and I am sure I do not have to explain to the council what type of affect (Carolina Crossroads’) implosion had on development projects throughout the city and county.”

Original plans, he said in the fax, were to develop a jazz and blues venue. “Well, the failure of the Carolina Crossroads project stalled my development plans for the People’s Theater as my original investors backed out.”

Bowman says in the document he learned his project was eligible for a grant but that he would have to wait until a project to rehabilitate the old police station on the avenue moved forward.

Now, Bowman said, he has spent the last six months researching the cinema industry. “Based upon my findings, I have decided to move forward with the restoration of the People’s Theater back to its original use as cinema. However, this time around we will offer dinner and a movie, which is the latest and fastest growing segment of the movie industry.”

He believes this will be the best fit for the building. “In fact, the best comment that I have received from residents of Roanoke Rapids, and one that I continue to receive is how much this theater means to them, and the history of the city and how the statement, ‘I got my first kiss’ at the theater rekindles old memories.”

Bowman says he plans to spend considerable time in Roanoke Rapids with this project and would like to have the new theater opened in early 2014. “I am asking the city council to consider the past, present and future of the facility by not moving forward with any legal action and by instructing planning and development to permit me until the end of 2012 to fully comply with the order of the building inspector as their push to have the buildings demolished or removed is unwarranted in this matter.”