Restoration reviving landmark’s status

By Kurt Watkins 

A gateway to the South Dallas neighborhood, the Forest Theater on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (formerly Forest Avenue) is turning 75 years old. Developed by the legendary Karl Hoblitzelle and a sister venue to the Majestic Theater, Lakewood Theater, and Inwood Theater, the Forest Theater is the heart of the Forest Forward initiative to bring healthy neighborhood revitalization to sunny South Dallas. 

To commemorate the 75th anniversary, community leaders and influential organizations will highlight the theater’s legacy, impact and future through a series of announcements and posts on social media.

“We welcome the support of what the Forest Theater has meant to families throughout the city of Dallas for the last 75 years,” said Elizabeth Wattley, president and CEO of Forest Forward. It will continue to be more than a venue for entertainment. The Forest Theater is making its comeback as a cornerstone for social change, important dialogues, community gatherings, and educational initiatives.”

Launched in 2017 and anchored by the Forest Theater, Forest Forward is a nonprofit organization aimed at preserving history and character with a mission to spur equitable development and economic mobility and improve outcomes for children, residents, and families.

Located in the ZIP code 75215, residents surrounding the theater have the lowest life expectancy in the city of Dallas at 67 years.

“Our support of Forest Forward is about more than the effort to restore the theater built by our founder,” said Katie Robbins, president and CEO of the Hoblitzelle Foundation. “It’s about our ongoing commitment to Dallas that will bring educational, economic and cultural opportunities to a neighborhood that’s important for the next 75 years.”

 Intrusive infrastructure that fractured communities, the development of multiple highways and policies that led to housing segregation altered the trajectory of Forest Theater and the neighborhood that it served. After a period of dormancy, it was later embraced and hosted legendary performances by Tina Turner, Prince, Sidney Poitier, B.B. King, Wilson Pickett, Redd Foxx, Gladys Knight & The Pips and Erykah Badu.

Expected to be demolished in 2015, Preservation Dallas championed an effort to recognize the historical value of Forest Theater as a landmark for its role as a place of culture, community and forward-thinking design at its opening. 

“Erasing a part of Dallas’ history with the South Dallas/Fair Park neighborhood was a tragedy,” said David Preziosi, former executive director of Preservation Dallas. “A thriving neighborhood depends on a hub that makes it healthy and that reminds people of the history it endured. That is what the Forest Theater does, and its revitalization can be a catalyst for the revitalization of the surrounding neighborhood.”

In addition to creating a 66,000-square-foot Forest Theater, the restoration will focus on the following for Forest Forward:

• 1,000-seat performance hall

• 13,000 square feet for arts education in partnership with MLK Arts Academy

• 200-seat studio theater and rooftop feature with views of downtown Dallas and Fair Park. To celebrate 75 years of the Forest Theater, visit forestforward.org to donate to the restoration efforts.