Court Blocks City from Razing Historic Downtown Hotels

Preservationists have a temporary triumph, but the next phase of the litigation process awaits them. The group, called "SOS", has sued to block the demolition of up to seven historic hotels in Stockton's downtown core. The City intends to raze the historic hotels for surface parking lots.

"The ruling, a temporary injunction, prohibits the city from demolishing the hotels until a lawsuit challenging the demolition is heard. A group of preservationists, Save Old Stockton, claim the City Council violated state law in its vote last year to demolish four hotels and to put parking lots in their place. The council put off the razing of three others, opting to first seek a developer who might renovate them."

"San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Humphreys ruled Save Old Stockton’s lawsuit has a “reasonable likelihood of success” at trial."