Dallas ponies up $8 million for Forest Theater’s 100-year-old pipes and other outdated infrastructure
The City of Dallas took a significant step towards restoring the historic Forest Theater on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard with an $8 million grant for infrastructure updates and construction.
City council members unanimously approved the community development grant last week. According to city documents, $7 million of the funding will come from the Infrastructure Investment Fund, dedicated to addressing outdated or lacking infrastructure in underserved areas; while the remaining $1 million will come from the Public-Private Partnership Fund.
The Forest Theater holds a special place in the hearts of many South Dallas residents. Shirley Rhodes, who has lived in the community for more than 50 years, fondly recalled her childhood visits to the theater in the 1960s.
“As a child, that’s where I spent my Saturday mornings being entertained by movies,” she shared during public comments at the meeting. “Now we can go back to the movies, have a real restaurant, and then go up on the patio and enjoy the views of the city of Dallas.”
Elizabeth Wattley, President and CEO of Forest Forward, the nonprofit leading the charge to restore the theater and revitalize the surrounding neighborhood, expressed gratitude to the Council for their support in “bringing those shiny bright lights back to sunny South Dallas.”
According to a city memo from Nov. 8, Assistant City Manager Robin Bentley said that the $66 million project would include:
- Rehabilitation of the historic Forest Theater complex
- New ground-up construction of an approximately 28,000-square-foot building addition.
- A café, rooftop deck, lawn for special events, and a multi-use “festival street.”
Wattley is all too familiar with the costly infrastructure challenges that have hindered progress. Earlier this year, in an interview with Dallas Free Press, she highlighted the dire state of the theater’s utilities.
“Our pipes are 100 years old, clay and 6 inches around. We cannot redevelop this building without [the pipes] being replaced,” she said.
At the time, Wattley estimated that $3.8 million in infrastructure improvements were required just to make the theater operational.
During Wednesday’s council meeting, District 6 Councilmember Omar Narvaez underscored the broader impact of the investment, noting additional funding from the North Central Texas Council of Governments to improve transportation and parking in the area. He said the upgrades will enhance walkability and safety.
“It’s