Lakewood TheaterThe Dallas Landmark Commission met at Dallas City Hall on Tuesday and voted unanimously to refer the Lakewood Theater to the Designation Committee for landmark consideration.
That puts the status of the theater on hold until the committee can vote to designate it the landmark that it is. Until then, plans to turn it into a Walmart or whatever stupid idea the owner had are on hold.
The building — if it is designated as an historic landmark —  must be preserved and restored under strict federal guidelines.
That means the frescoes inside the building would have be preserved. The art deco bar in the lobby would have to be preserved.
Last week the building’s owner threw out all of the theater’s seating that dated to its opening in 1949. That predated the Dallas Landmark Commission’s decision at its meeting on Tuesday.
The Lakewood Theater was home to Gaybingo for years before it moved to S4 on Cedar Springs. Outtakes, the Dallas LGBT film festival, was also held at the Lakewood.
The Lakewood Theater was built in 1938 by Karl Hoblizelle as part of his Interstate theater chain. Downtown’s Majestic was also his.
If the theater can’t be turned into another Starbucks, Alamo Draft House has wanted the theater for years. Alamo Draft House is a theater chain that’s been pretty successful with odd theater properties. Just a suggestion.