WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - The Wichita City Council decided to grant more time to figure out the future of the Crown Uptown Theatre in College Hill. The 6-1 vote at Tuesday’s city council meeting followed some heated discussion.

Last month, the Crown Uptown’s owner filed a wrecking permit to tear down the building. That move automatically notified Wichita’s preservation board and from there, the City of Wichita took control of the building for 30 days. The council’s vote on Tuesday extends that interim control up to 180 days so that discussions can happen as to whether the near-century-old building can be saved.

Crown Upton Theatre Owner Mike Brown filed for the wrecking permit last month after the city council didn’t approve his request to more than double the building’s capacity.

“As I stand here today, in my heart. I don’t want that building to go away, but as a fiduciary responsibility to myself, my partners and my family, as that building sits, the way it is restricted in useis not feasible,” Brown told the Wichita City Council on Tuesday. “The solution to this is sitting down, working with [the fire department] and letting us get to capacity, that’s the savior of the building. Beyond that, I don’t know what else to tell you.”

The Crown Uptown Theatre is not listed on the National Registry of Historic Places nor is is on any state or local places registries. The theatre was built in 1927.