On May 21, 2024, the City Council of Iowa City voted unanimously to designate the Slezak-Holub-Skarda building at 302-316 E. Bloomington St. as a Local Historic Landmark.  Now known as the home of Pagliai’s Pizza, the Holub Apartments, and Laundromania, 302-316 E. Bloomington St. has been a key property in Iowa City since its construction in 1875. After 150 years of ownership and preservation by the same family, the building was listed for sale in September 2023. Like many historic properties in Iowa City, the imminent sale of the building signaled redevelopment pressure and possible demolition. Friends of Historic Preservation supported the effort to designate the building as a Local Historic Landmark, an overlay zoning designation that protects properties from demolition and incentivizes continued use. The designation required recommendations from the Historic Preservation and the Planning and Zoning Commissions before final approval by the City Council. Throughout the months-long designation process, supporters, members, and the board of Friends of Historic Preservation advocated for the preservation of the building through letters of support, attending public meetings, and generating community interest in the architectural and social history of the property.