A classic Tower District building that has served as a hub for the city’s performing arts community is for sale.

The Severance building at 1401 N. Wishon, home to a California Arts Academy dance studio, was put on the market about two weeks ago. And is already getting lots of attention.

“We have shown it almost every single day and to some very prominent groups,” said Mike Garabedian, the listing agent at London Properties.

Garabedian, who is co-listing the property with Danyelle Conner, said the 8,100-square-foot, two-story property has tremendous possibilities. The second floor has a 4,000-square-foot ballroom, complete with maple wooden floors and chandeliers. The price tag is $995,000.

The original owner of the property, C.B. Severance, built the home in 1930 as a dance studio and as a home for his family, Conner said.

Prospective buyers have talked about keeping it as a performing arts space, housing a media company, or converting it to office space.

Fresno City Councilmember Annalisa Perea would prefer to see the building become a center for performing arts.

“It’s a great pillar of the Tower District,” she said.

Several potential buyers who have toured the property remember taking dance lessons in the building as children, Connor said.

Daniel Chavez Jr., Artistic Director and General Manager of California Arts Academy, remembers performing in The Rocky Horror Show Live production years ago. It was his first adult theatrical show in Fresno.

Chavez explained that the owner of the academy and the building is retiring and selling some of his property. The California Arts Academy purchased the property in 2005 and spent more than $1 million to renovate it.

Chavez reassured the community that the sale of the Severance building will not affect the future of the academy, which he said is “going very well and is strong.”

The only change will be relocating the advanced ballet classes from the Severance building to the academy’s main headquarters at 4750 N. Blackstone Ave.

The first floor of the building was being rented by the Midtown Vineyard Church for Sunday services, but the pastor said he was aware the building was being sold and is making other arrangements.

“Though we worked with the city at one point to explore the potential of purchasing and its implications, we do not have intentions to purchase the Severance building and are excited to see what comes of it next,” said Ryan Kenny, lead pastor for the Midtown Vineyard Church.