Nice article in the Alive today about the Lincoln Theater redevelopment going on over here just around the corner from our house. Hearing the construction noise is actually really pleasant. Progress on developing the neighborhood! Can’t wait until this opens up and we see more visitors and foottraffic on Long Street. Perhaps a few other businesses will be popping up shortly afterwards.
The Alive
Crowning the King-Lincoln
By John Ross
July 3, 2008Little more than a dirt floor, crumbling brick and a dilapidated marquee when renovations began earlier this year, the historic Lincoln Theatre is shaping up to become the crown jewel of the King-Lincoln District, once the city’s thriving African-American cultural hub.
Opened in 1928 as the Ogden Theater & Dance Hall, the 60,000-square-foot theater is set to reopen in April 2009. The building, located on Long Street just east of I-71, has been closed since the early 1970s.
Aware of the structure’s historic importance and the need to bring it up to code, the Columbus Association of Performing Arts is trying to strike a balance between traditional charm and modern convenience. Original Egyptian-style motifs will be restored, as will the historic lobby and a vintage film projector. Structural changes will include moving the entrance to the west side of the building and constructing a balcony on the second floor to increase capacity to 574.