Deluxe Theater
City of Houston | Texas Southern University

Houston, Texas

The City of Houston General Services Department in partnership with the 5th Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation and Texas Southern University formed a collaboration to convert the abandoned historic 5th Ward Deluxe Theater into a modern teaching theater for TSU’s Fine Arts Program. The project involved bringing the 8,000 SF empty shell of the Deluxe Theater back to its original 1941‘s Art Deco exterior with a new marquee and structural rebuilds and renovations. The historic Fifth Ward theater opened in 1941 and had a 28-year run as a movie house before closing in 1969. From 1971 to 1973, it was used as an art gallery, first under the sponsorship of the Menil Foundation and later by Hope Development Inc. The building has remained shuttered for more than 40 years.

Now completed, the theater offers a seating capacity to sit 125 guests for small performances and productions. The space was designed to promote maximum flexibility so that it may be converted from performance space to classroom space and vice versa. New theatrical systems, lighting, control equipment, and audio | video equipment were installed included in seating chamber. In addition, the facility is being used to offer theatrical related courses, thus enhancing the University’s plans to increase distance and online learning education programs. This project is slated to be LEED Certified.

Historical Renovation & New Construction

Size: 8,000 SQFT
Scope: Full Architectural Services
Notice to Proceed: November 2013
Completion Date: February 2015
Construction Cost: $4.1 Million

Recognitions

2017 NOMA Historic Preservation, Restoration and Renovation Project Category Citation

2017 Good Brick Award for excellence in Historic Preservation for the Deluxe Theater
The Greater Houston Preservation Alliance

2016 HBJ Landmark Awards Rehabilitation & Renovation