Revitalizing southern Dallas: $80.5 million Forest Theater project to address inequities
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The Forest Theater opened in 1949 and hosted artists like Prince, The Roots, Dave Chappelle and Erykah Badu. Rendering: Courtesy of Forest Forward
The Forest Theater's tall green marquee along Interstate 45, on the way out of Dallas toward Houston, hasn't lit up in 50 years.
- But after years of intense fundraising, the theater's champions are closer to raising the roof(top).
Why it matters: Forest Forward is one of several community-led efforts, including the Floral Farms park project, to address decades of inequity and neglect in southern Dallas.
The big picture: The Forest Theater will be a cornerstone of Forest Forward, which plans to invest millions of dollars in Dallas' 75215 ZIP code through educational opportunities, new community spaces and mixed-income housing.
State of play: The 75215 ZIP code is home to almost 19,000 people — most of whom are Black — with a median household income around $39,500, per Census Bureau data.
- Meanwhile, the predominantly white 75201 ZIP code to the north has a median household income of almost $103,000.
What they're doing: Forest Forward is looking to infuse around $250 million into South Dallas using public and private funds.
- Costing about $80.5 million, the Forest Theater will have a Starbucks, 500-seat performance space, black box theater, rooftop event space and a sound recording room.
- The goal is to turn the dormant theater into an economic engine for South Dallas, Forest Forward president Elizabeth Wattley tells Axios.
The latest: Earlier this month, the Dallas City Council approved an $8 million grant for the theater.
- The structural work and asbestos abatement are complete. The building's exterior shell and rooftop are now undergoing renovation.
Fun fact: The Forest's historical designation meant crews had to preserve as much of it as possible. Key design elements that were removed because of asbestos were digitized so they could be replicated in the redesigned space.
- Visitors will still get to see what the theater looked like in the past — including its historic ramp, viewing balcony and seashell scallops over the bar area.
The intrigue: A church group has visited the theater many times to pray over it and celebrate its progress.
- "So many people already have a relationship with this building. They feel energized. They feel a rebirth coming," Wattley says.
What's next: Wattley hopes construction will be completed by December 2025 and that the theater will reopen in time for its 77th anniversary in summer 2026.
- "With this building coming back to life, it's about to change the game," she says.