A divided Denton City Council on Tues­day rejected a drive-through lane in the proposed Fry Street Village — a move that could derail plans for the controversial development. The drive-through was to serve CVS Pharmacy, the anchor tenant of the proposed 55,000-square-foot Fry Street Village, which would replace businesses razed this summer at Hickory and Fry streets with new retail shops and restaurants.

DRC/Barron Ludlum

A sign advertises the proposed Fry Street Village project. The City Council will vote Tuesday on whether to permit a drive-through for a planned pharmacy.

Denton City Council members’ votes Tuesday on whether to approve a drive-through for a pharmacy in the proposed Fry Street Village could have repercussions in the 2008 city elections. The redevelopment of the now-empty lot where eclectic hangouts once stood has pitted surrounding neighborhood groups against others who seek improvements to what has been called a rundown area near the University of North Texas.

Courtesy Photo

Art students from the University of North Texas and the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México look over their ideas. They are designing an art display for Fry Street Village, United Equities' new development at Fry and Hickory streets.

Students from Mexico and the Uni­ver­sity of North Texas have teamed up to de­sign a public art project for the Fry Street area. Four students and one faculty member from the Universidad Autónoma del Esta­do de México came to Denton last week to work with a dozen students in UNT’s Col­lege of Visual Art and Design on the project.

DRC/Al Key

Signs protesting a proposed CVS Pharmacy drive-through at Fry Street Village have appeared on some of the lawns of homes on Oak Street.

They couldn’t save Fry Street from the bulldozer, but opponents of a new retail development there aren’t giving up. Critics of the proposed Fry Street Village have lined Oak Street with yard signs, hoping to sway public opinion as plans for the development face their first legislative test tonight. The Denton Planning and Zoning Commission will consider three variances to city code that would accommodate parts of the nearly 4-acre development, located just off the University of North Texas campus.

DRC/Barron Ludlum

David Ruffu, who restores local historic documents, works Monday on removing green paint from a mural on the side of the former Jim’s Diner on Fry Street.

All it takes to wipe out two days of work by vandals is a bit of cleanser. The iconic Fry Street mural on the side of the former Jim’s Diner depicting the Beatles, Marilyn Monroe, Beaver and Wally Cleaver, and John Wayne, among others, was well on its way to restoration Monday evening after vandals sprayed green paint over the eyes of the artwork subjects late Friday, then came the next night to deface the mural even more. David Ruffu, who restores historic documents locally, worked for hours dabbing paint from the marred faces.

 The end of an era (slideshow)

DRC/Gary Payne

Denton firefighters work Wednesday night to contain a fire that destroyed the former location of The Tomato pizza parlor on Fry Street.

Fire marshals have added a fourth suspect to their list of “persons of interest” in the Wednesday night arson fire that engulfed a Fry Street icon. Fire Marshal Rick Jones said Thursday that a fourth suspect, not necessarily connected to the three who were detained and released Wednesday night, has emerged in the investigation of the fire that destroyed the building recently vacated by The Tomato pizza restaurant. He would not elaborate, saying it was too early in the investigation to give more details.

DRC/Gary Payne

The corner of Hickory and Fry streets is shown recently in Denton. The small retail area will be razed starting Monday.

"It's finally over." Rhonda Stoneburner's words reflect her mixed emotions about the demolition scheduled to begin Monday at the heart of Denton's most eclectic neighborhood.

DRC/Gary Payne

Habitat for Humanity ReStore volunteer Curt Fowler pries off wood panels from the wall of The Tomato on Saturday. Materials salvaged by volunteers will be sold in a benefit auction on Friday.

Already cleared and vacated for demolition, buildings along Fry Street’s main block were stripped of their last valuable pieces Saturday in hopes that at least the memories they held won’t be destroyed.

DRC/Gary Payne

Chuck Buttram, director of ReStore operations for Habitat for Humanity of Denton County, hopes to save the mural on the outside wall of the former Bagheri’s Italian restaurant location on Fry Street before it is torn down for redevelopment.

Less than two weeks before a section of Denton’s Fry Street is bulldozed to make way for a new development, volunteers are making plans to salvage a pop-icon mural that has fed the eclectic nature of the area since 1985. Chuck Buttram, director of ReStore operations for Habitat for Humanity of Denton County, is trying to save the artwork painted by a Uni­ver­sity of North Texas art student. The mu­­ral, as well as other materials in buildings up and down the block at Fry and Hickory streets, will be stripped and sold in a public auction June 22, benefiting Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit that provides housing to low-income families.

DRC/Gary Payne

Chuck Buttram, Habitat for Humanity of Denton County director of ReStore Operations and Business Development, stands Saturday near a mural of pop icons painted on the outside wall of the former Bagheri restaurant. Buttram hopes to salvage the mural and other material from the vacated Fry Street buildings before being torn down for redevelopment.

Before the knocking down, comes the picking apart. Fry Street’s main block will soon be gone, sche­duled to be bulldozed June 25. But in a deal struck by Habitat for Humanity of Denton County, and the developers of the new Fry Street project, the 1920s-era buildings at Fry and Hickory streets will be torn apart to salvage building materials, banisters, tin ceiling tiles, doors, telephone stands and even cinderblock murals of past icons including John Wayne, Ma­ri­lyn Mo­n­­roe, the Bea­tles and Beaver and Wally Clea­ver. The items will be auctioned off June 22 to benefit Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit dedicated to providing housing for the poor.

University of North Texas graduate Andy Hogue was hanging out Sunday at the Tomato on Fry Street, a major change of pace for the Gainesville resident who hasn’t been out on a Sunday in 10 years. “I had to break my own beliefs and eat at The Tomato one last time,” he said. “I didn’t realize what an important part of Denton it was.” The Tomato, one of the nine Fry Street businesses set to close this week,  opened its doors by lunchtime Sunday.