The historic Fremont Theatre in downtown San Luis Obispo is closed until further notice as city officials continue evaluating storm damage to its marquee sign.
A series of February storms brought heavy rain and winds that caused part of the sign to fall onto Monterey Street. No injuries were reported, but the city closed a portion of the street and adjacent sidewalk as a precaution.
Although temporary pedestrian tunnels were installed and the theater briefly reopened, further assessment by the property owner found that the sign’s structural integrity remains uncertain.
City officials have since suspended the building’s certificate of occupancy, meaning the theater cannot host events and the affected stretch of Monterey Street and sidewalk will remain closed. The opposite side of the street is open to foot traffic.
Community Development Director Timothea Tway said the decision was made out of caution.
“The city would reinstate the certificate of occupancy once we have some professional opinions from structural engineers and the building official concurs that the sign structure is structurally sound and does not present a risk to the public’s health and safety,” Tway said.
Nearby businesses remain open during normal hours, and the theater’s owners are working to relocate scheduled events while inspections continue.
