Arthouse Houston aims to save Garden Oaks Theater
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The former art-deco-style Garden Oaks Theater was converted into a church and is now empty. Photo: Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images
A local nonprofit is racing to save a nearly 80-year-old Houston theater from demolition, with plans to turn it into a neighborhood arts hub.
Why it matters: The Garden Oaks Theater could become another loss in a city with a track record of tearing down its historic buildings, Ian Druke, the assistant director at Arthouse Houston, tells Axios.
State of play: The Garden Oaks Theater, at 3754 N. Shepherd Drive, was recently purchased by a developer and slated for demolition, but after community outcry and support from City Council members, the buyer agreed to sell to Arthouse.
- The nonprofit entered a contract to purchase the 2.3-acre property the theater sits on for $7.1 million, putting down a $130,000 deposit.
- Now it's in a tight push to secure about $1.3 million in pledges to access a bank loan, per Druke. It's also working to raise another $25,000 to extend the April 21 closing deadline again.
Context: The theater opened in 1947 and seated more than 700 people, making it one of Houston's largest cinemas and a post-war architectural gem, per Arthouse.
- It operated until 1997, then became a church before being sold recently.
What they're saying: "Garden Oaks ... has a lot of families, but not a lot of things to do besides go to school, go to work, go to your house kind of thing," Druke says.
- The campaign argues that preserving this historic cinema isn't just about saving a building, but about giving a fast-growing neighborhood a much-needed, local art hub.
Zoom in: In addition to the funds for the land purchase, the group estimates the theater will need about $4 million to restore it from some wear and tear and transform it into a multiuse arts and film spot with room for screenings and space for local artists, filmmakers, retail, and community organizations, Druke says.
Between the lines: Houston has very few historic theaters left — and even fewer still operating as theaters.
- "Here in Houston we have essentially the River Oaks Theater and the Deluxe Theater ... most [others] have been demolished," Druke says, adding that some have been repurposed, like the Alabama Theatre, now a Trader Joe's.
Flashback: Arthouse Houston, formerly Friends of River Oaks Theatre, formed during efforts to save River Oaks from demolition during the pandemic.
- Community pressure helped keep it intact, and the group raised money that went toward renovations. The theater is now a cornerstone of the neighborhood.
What we're watching: Whether Arthouse can rally enough large donors and community support in time.
- "We have time working against us … but I think it's definitely possible," Druke says.
