The nonprofit Forest Forward, founded and led by South Dallas resident Elizabeth Wattley, spearheaded the effort to revive the theater, which had long stood as a symbol of the neighborhood's cultural history. The reopening marks a milestone for preservationists and community activists who see the project as a model for honoring local heritage while spurring economic development.

At the reopening ceremony, Wattley's father, Thomas Wattley, recalled watching movies in the theater's balcony during the 1950s, when it was segregated. He remembered seeing films like "Ben-Hur" and "The Ten Commandments," but most vividly recalled "Imitation of Life," which he saw with his mother and which featured what he described as the saddest scene he had ever watched.

The restored venue now includes a 1,000-person concert hall, a 200-seat black box theater, a 13,000-square-foot creative education lab, recording and podcast studios, a rooftop gathering space, and community meeting areas. Local artwork is displayed in a gallery space, and merchandise is available for purchase.

For South Dallas residents like Clifton Reese, the reopening is both historic and transformative. "You got the Fair Park, you got Forest Forward, you got everything that's coming, the development that's coming," Reese said. "You got everything that's happening from MLK all the way back to the Trinity River levee. So invest in South Dallas because then South Dallas is gonna invest in everything else."

The theater is already hosting events, including rooftop DJ sets on Nov. 13 and Nov. 27 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $32.

The Forest Theater's revival comes as Dallas grapples with the futures of other older buildings, such as City Hall and the Granada Theater, making the project a test case for how preservation and community identity can intersect with development.