Ridglea Reopens

A historic venue in Fort Worth, Texas, is getting a second lease on life after two years of renovations.

The 62-year-old Ridglea Theater was nearly razed in 2010 until a local man put up the cash to save the building. The venue recently reopened with a new roof, new neon outside and new paint inside as well as restored murals and a terrazzo floor, the Star-Telegram reported. 

 
The fresh paint isn’t a complete departure from the Ridglea’s past, however. The building has been painted exactly as it was in 1950 and earned kudos from fans that were around for its early days.
 
“I think it’s fabulous,” a woman whose grandfather built the theater told the paper. “I think it’s absolutely flawless. … It’s nice to have a little bit of Fort Worth history back to where it is.”
 
The multipurpose venue will host concerts, events and films. Work reportedly continues on the Ridglea’s balcony, which is being converted back to its original size after being split to form two upstairs theaters in the ’80s. 
 
Upcoming shows on the books include The Temper Trap, Say Anything and The Expendables.