Neighbors Fight To Protect Lakewood Theater

Follow CBSDFW.COM: Facebook | Twitter

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - More than 6,000 neighbors have signed a petition asking for the Lakewood Theater in Dallas to be designated as a historic landmark. Now, the fight to protect the theater is heading to Dallas City Hall on Tuesday, where a big decision could come down.

The Dallas Landmark Commission will hear from some of those concerned neighbors on Tuesday, in the first step of what will be a long process. The group known as the 'Save the Lakewood Theater Coalition' has already been fighting hard to protect the theater for some time now.

The theater has been around for 77 years. The owners are currently removing asbestos and planning to do something with the available space.

But neighbors have said that the Dallas building is a historical landmark by every definition, from the design on the outside to the 1930s artwork inside of the theater. "This building is critical to this community. It really is the symbol, not just the theater or shopping center, but all of the neighborhoods around here. We have so many multi-generational families here who grew up coming to this theater, and even those of us more recent, it has a big part with the association with the neighborhood," added Norman Alston of the 'Save the Lakewood Theater Coalition.'

If the Dallas Landmark Commission votes to give the theater a landmark designation, then it could ultimately go to the Dallas City Council for final approval. The commission meets at Dallas City Hall at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday.