Adventure Church packs up, moves out of Tower Theatre. Fresno starts inspection process
After a years-long battle with the city of Fresno and neighboring businesses, Adventure Church moved out of the iconic Tower Theatre on Monday.
A group of young men took loads of items out of the theater and packed up a moving truck into the afternoon. They declined to comment other than to say the church was being locked out of the building.
Escrow in the city of Fresno’s purchase of the theater closed last month, and city and church attorneys arranged for the church to move out Monday, said Assistant City Manager Greg Barfield. He said the church was not locked or kicked out.
The theater has been a flashpoint of controversy for about two years after Adventure Church’s plans to purchase the building became public. That sparked weekly protests from LGBTQ+ community groups and other Tower District businesses. It also kicked off a long legal battle, first with the owners of J&A Mash and Barrel, operators of Sequoia Brewing Company that sits on the property, and later, the city of Fresno.
In April, the city of Fresno stepped in and voted to purchase the theater for $6.5 million.
The city already changed the locks and began inspections on the theater, Barfield said. The inspections may spur repair work. Within 30 days, organizations can start applying to use the space.
So far, Adventure Church has not expressed any intent to try to apply to use the theater, Barfield said. City leaders are under the impression the church is back to operating out of its Palm Avenue location and added additional services, he said.
The Bee sent emails to the church and its lawyer seeking comment for this story.