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The building that once housed Lubbock's Godbold Cultural Center (2605 19th St) may finally have its ultimate fate decided tonight (11/3/2022). A Planning & Zoning Commission meeting is to be held at Citizen's Tower starting at 6 p.m. But this isn't the first meeting about this issue.

Up Campus Student Living, the current owners of the property, wishes to demolish the building in favor of a large student housing complex with a parking garage. Homeowners in the surrounding Tech Terrace neighborhood  have expressed concern over noise, privacy and the increase in traffic around the area. As someone who ever has to go down 19th Street near campus, I share that concern.

The original meeting to vote on rezoning the area determined the vote should be delayed so the developer could possibly redraw plans that surrounding residents could agree on, according to the Lubbock Avalanche Journal, which did a deep dive into the specifics of the zoning and specs of the proposed building.

The developer has come up with new plans, that to me, don't seem like much of a compromise at all. But any building would result in the destruction of the Godbold, a building steeped in Lubbock history. The Godbold building was one of the first hospitals in the area, and its first operating theater. It went through many changes over the years, including its years as a home for music, art and other cultural events. It has most recently been home to stylish retail space and the well-loved Café J.

As someone who grew up in Lubbock, I would hate to see this building demolished. I would love to see it remodeled and upgraded into something lovely like a hotel, or perhaps a more modest student housing center. As someone who currently lives in Lubbock, I am not thrilled about the congestion it would bring to an already dicey bit of Lubbock's streets.

I'd like to thank my darling friend Darcey for her photos of the beautiful interior of the Godbold.

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