Nijuel X, the new artistic director of the historic Forest Theater, spends most days checking in on the ongoing renovation of the 75-year-old building.

X, who was born in Houston and raised in Port Arthur, recently moved to North Texas from Los Angeles, where he spent 15 years working in performance theaters.

“It’s more about the impact that I can have on people, and I’m just grateful Dallas is the place I get to do that,” X said.

The Forest Theater, located just south of downtown along Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Interstate 45, has long served as a center for Black artistic expression. Over the years, the venue has taken on many forms—from a movie theater to a nightclub to a house of worship.

“Many leaders, many artists have graced this stage, these spaces,” X said. “And so, to have the responsibility to rebirth that—it’s a ceremony, it’s a ritual.”

Just across the street on MLK, the nonprofit Forest Forward, where X is based, has raised more than $70 million for the renovation, which includes a 28,000-square-foot expansion.

Elizabeth Wattley, president and CEO of Forest Forward, said momentum around the project is about more than just bringing the building back to life.

“There’s a whole momentum and energy that has turned around that space, being able to come back to life,” Wattley said. “It is showing people what is possible in South Dallas.”

She sees the theater’s revival as a cornerstone for future development in the 75215 ZIP code, including housing and infrastructure aimed at improving life expectancy and community outcomes.

“We are really in the community to bring healthy neighborhood revitalization to the South Dallas neighborhood,” she said.

During a recent walkthrough of the main lobby under renovation, X described what’s still to come.

“Through this door you can’t see, but eventually you’ll be able to go and grab a cup of coffee,” X said.

Beyond performances, the new Forest Theater will include a café, recording studio and community gathering spaces meant to be active throughout the day.

“How do we reclaim space and give it back to the community?” X said.

Most of the construction is expected to be substantially complete in early 2026, with a grand opening scheduled for November of that year.