The Newsroom-UTRGV
RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – It’s official! UTRGV now owns one of downtown Brownsville’s most iconic buildings – the Majestic Theatre.
Built in 1948, The Majestic will be renovated to serve as a much-needed Performing Arts Center for the Brownsville Campus.
UTRGV officially closed on the building Nov. 15, 2023 purchasing the facility from The Roy F. and Joann Cole Mitte Foundation. The UT System Board of Regents had granted purchase approval earlier this fall.
Dr. Jeffrey Ward, dean of the UTRGV College of Fine Arts, said he is excited about what this purchase means for the future of performing arts at UTRGV and especially for students on the Brownsville Campus.
"The purchase of the Majestic Theatre and its future renovation into a state-of-the-art performance hall is an amazing investment by UTRGV in our College of Fine Arts students as well as in the community," Ward said.
The center will provide performance, rehearsal and instructional space for the College of Fine Arts as it works to expand its offerings in music, dance and theater.
UTRGV President Guy Bailey said buying the Majestic Theatre has numerous benefits, not just in providing a working and learning space for UTRGV’s performing arts students and faculty, but also by supporting Brownsville itself.
“The added activity will help support local businesses in the downtown area,” Bailey said. “The building and its restoration have historical significance, yes, but this new Performance Arts Center also signifies a big collaborative step into the future for our university and our community.
“We are excited to finally and officially purchase the Majestic Theatre for our wonderful performing arts program,” he said.
UPDATE ON THE VISUAL ART FACILITY
In addition to the new building for performance arts, UTRGV is working on a plan for a new Visual Art facility in Brownsville. UTRGV currently is leasing Rusteberg Hall from Texas Southmost College. To date, UTRGV already has purchased new equipment and furniture for a future facility, and further details will be made available as plans progress.
MORE ABOUT THE MAJESTIC THEATRE
The Historical Marker Database website (HMdb.org) says the Majestic was built in 1948 and was part of Karl St. John Hoblitzelle’s Interstate theater chain. Interstate was an influential vaudeville and later movie theater company in the South, opening Majestic Theaters in Dallas and San Antonio before coming to Brownsville. The building has stylistic influences of the modern architectural movement, and the interior features Art Deco murals, stairway and terrazzo floors. Portions of the original facade, including the theater marquee, remain.
8 comments:
Nice to see the old hometown
doing positive and constructive
projects. Way to go Browntown.
My property taxes continue to rise yearly only to fund BS programs sponsored by UTRGV. I don't mind funding programs related to math, science, engineering and technology. But performing arts? Give me a break!
Days gone by and all that is left are memories.
UTRGV wants to destroy the work of ROCA, the school for the children of Brownsville.. They will not let the children perform in their new building nor offer summer programs for the poor to learn music. Why? UT system is rich and gets students from all over the world.
Wasn’t the valentine building at 11th and Washinton bought by the city sometime back to promote fine arts in the city?
When has this building ever been used for a presentation?
Will this happen with the Majestic theater?
If the building was bought in 2023,why is not been touched at all?
It looks like the mercado in Matamoros in the old years!
UTRGV Brownsville, also bought Longoria Elementary, and will move their Art Department into that school after some renovations and modifications.
Juan, as a rock hard 14 year old, I dated a 21 year old to see 20,000 Leagues under the sea. My hands were that far up her dress as we French kissed each other to reach our own Nirvana. Man, I'll never forget it.
If UTRGV has so much money why do tax payers continue to fund it with our tax dollars?
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