The Alive wrote
Crowning the King-Lincoln
By John Ross
July 3, 2008
Little more than a dirt floor, crumbling brick and a dilapidated marquee when renovations began earlier this year, the historic Lincoln Theatre is shaping up to become the crown jewel of the King-Lincoln District, once the city’s thriving African-American cultural hub.
Opened in 1928 as the Ogden Theater & Dance Hall, the 60,000-square-foot theater is set to reopen in April 2009. The building, located on Long Street just east of I-71, has been closed since the early 1970s.
Aware of the structure’s historic importance and the need to bring it up to code, the Columbus Association of Performing Arts is trying to strike a balance between traditional charm and modern convenience. Original Egyptian-style motifs will be restored, as will the historic lobby and a vintage film projector. Structural changes will include moving the entrance to the west side of the building and constructing a balcony on the second floor to increase capacity to 574.
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