Paige Goode of Preserve Historic Missoula wants everyone to know, her organization is NOT suing the City of Missoula.

Goode read a prepared statement to KGVO News on Thursday;

Preserve Historic Missoula and concerned citizens are appealing the flawed process used by the city council to approve the Merc, LLC demolition permit application. 

We are not filing a lawsuit, but simply asking the district court to uphold and enforce the Missoula Preservation ordinance as written. The ordinance, passed by the city council with extensive public input in 2009, grants the Missoula Mercantile and all other buildings on the National Register of Historic Places protections, which predate the current ownership. 

Octagon and Merc LLC were aware when they purchased the building that it would be subject to safeguards under the ordinance.

The city council strayed far from the very rules it created to find the Mercantile did not merit saving. Preserve Historic Missoula's appeal seeks to hold the city accountable to the process defined by its own ordinance. 

Preserve Historic Missoula is an organization which supports responsible economic development, sustainable growth and advocates for historic preservation education.

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