Breathing New Life Into the Ritz Theater

By John Jackson

The last 20 years have seen a growing interest in restoring classic theaters. Following in the footsteps of the Paramount in Austin, the Majestic in San Antonio, and the Plaza Theater in El Paso, the Corpus Christi PATCH (Positive Action Towards Cultural Heritage) is working to restore the Ritz Theater in downtown Corpus Christi.

Originally opened Christmas Day, 1929, the Ritz's first film was the musical comedy "It's a Great Life," starring the Duncan Sisters, a vaudeville act that had crossed over into cinema. The film was semi-autobiographical. After being fired from a department store for back talking the manager, the pair sing and dance their way to stardom through relationship conflicts, break ups, make-ups, and everything in between.

Reviews of the film were decidedly mixed. It did poorly in major cities, but very well in small towns like Corpus Christi. (the population at the time was around 25,000)

"Hundreds of laudatory remarks were made," said the Corpus Christi Times, "by people who thronged the foyers and auditorium of the new playhouse,"

The Ritz is modest compared to some of it's architect, Scott Dunn's earlier theaters. Like the Plaza in El Paso, the theater has a Spanish Rennaissance style. However, the auditorium is smaller than some other theaters of the period, and even in its hey-day, the foyer was not nearly as glossy.

"The Depression was already on," said acting PATCH consultant, Dr. Clifford Edge, "and most of his theaters [at that time] were second tiers."

Still, for over forty years, the Ritz continued as a first run movie house, featuring such classic films as "Gone With the Wind," "The Wizard of Oz," "It's a Wonderful Life," and "Ben Hur."

However, in the 1970s, the Ritz's fortune began to change.

"There was very little public support for the theater at that time," Dr. Edge said, "and the downtown area had pretty much declined."

In 1972 the theater closed its doors. Two years later, in 1974, the playhouse reopened as the "Ritz Music Hall," a name which changed to "Ritz Productions," in 1976. Still, old problems persisted. Despite such big names as Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffett, and Bruce Springsteen playing there, it was difficult to turn a profit. The Ritz was also subject to constant vandalism, which tapped its resources. As a result, they were forced to close their doors again in 1989.

For 15 years, the theater lay idle, and slowly deteriorated.

Then, in 2004, graphic designer, Monica McCloud Sawyer took an interest in the Ritz, and began to investigate what its renovation would involve.

"When we first walked in the theater," Mrs. Sawyer said, "it was like someone had just left."

Sawyer said that the costumes, paperwork, and props of long ago acts were still scattered all over the theater.

"Also, there were homeless people camping out there," she said, "and trash was scattered all over everywhere."

As she sought advice from groups such as the League of Historic American Theaters, and the Corpus Christi Downtown Management District, Sawyer came to realize that the total cost of renovation would be upwards of $20 million.

Some of the cost would go towards repairing the electrical system and plumbing. The rest would involve booking acts to play there, and hiring a fulltime consultant and staff to run the Ritz's day to day operations.

Some of the group's biggest fundraisers are the "Ritz Theater Ghost Hunts." At a cost of $20 a person, fans of the theater can be "spooked," by phantom performers, such as "the restless spirit of a woman...wandering the downstairs seating area...who was murdered by a jealous boyfriend."

Ritz supporters also hope to solicit donations from the fine arts community and the public schools, in the hope that school plays might one day be performed there as well.

So far, the renovation has been grassroots, and has come about in 3 phases.

Phase 1 took place in Nov. 2005. The result of a joint effort between PATCH, and the now defunct FOCUS, (Focus on Creative Urban Society) a group of young professionals, it involved cleaning out the garbage from the lobby and auditorium.

"We also made new seat covers," said Sawyer, "because at that point, the seats in the lobby were pretty nasty."

Phase 2, which took place March 1st, 2008, brought PATCH and the Junior League together, and focused on cleaning the work and dressing rooms, the office, and the snack bar. As they worked, they made some astonishing discoveries.

"We found old close up photos of actors and actresses," she said, "along with playbills, letters, and old newspapers."

This phase earned PATCH, the J.L's "Helping Hands Award," which they give every year to a worthy non-profit organization.

In April, 2009, the group teamed up with the Junior League again to clean the projection rooms, and found something else surprising.

"We believe, judging by pictures, said Sawyer, "that the chairs have been replaced 3 times."

"We think though that the chair in the projection room is an original," she said, "and it's in pretty bad shape."

The group hopes to have the theater up and running by 2014.

"It all depends on funding though," Sawyer said, "and that goal is very aggressive."

Are They Still Lobbyists, and Does it Matter?

By John Jackson

"Saul Ramirez, the executive director of national NAHRO was instrumental in recommending the stimulus to the Obama administration," said former Texas NAHRO President, Richard Franco.

NAHRO (National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials) is a non-profit organization that raises funds for housing authorities across the country. They were always upfront about their efforts to lobby the Federal Government as well-until recently.

The United States Housing Act of 1937, came out of a substantial push from NAHRO, and has provided large amounts of funding to housing authorities across the country ever since.

"From the 1950s through the 1970s," says the group's website, "NAHRO maintained its leadership role by initiating and supporting Congressional legislation."

NAHRO worked to influence the 1995 Congressional session on various bills as well.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina took a financial toll on the group's finances.

As they planned their recovery at Texas NAHRO's annual meeting in Austin, on Mon, Oct. 17 of that year, then Austin Housing Authority CEO, Henry Flores told Franco, "The only thing missing from the budget is funds for lobbying."

Franco assured him, "This will be covered under existing contracts."

The Internal Revenue Service however had growing concerns over NAHRO's lobbying efforts, and began a year long investigation into their finances.

As a result of the audit, there was a different mood at the next year's Texas NAHRO conference, held Sun, Oct 22, 2006, in Abilene.

"We have to work on a really serious issue," said board member, Elizabeth (Becky) Spenser, "the IRS has serious views on lobbying by tax exempt organizations.

"If the organization makes a payment to a legislator for the purpose of influencing a vote," she said, "that is lobbying."

Actually, Federal Tax Regulation 56:49 2 defines lobbying more broadly as "influencing legislation[and]...any attempt to influence legislation through communication with a member or employee of a legislative body or any government official or employee."

"In ignorance," Franco said, "we did a number of things. This will not happen again."

Still "NAHRO continues to make its position known at HUD," (The Department of Housing and Urban Development) the group's website says "and in the Halls of Congress."

NAHRO officials have been vague of late as to whether they are still a lobbyist group

"I don't know what the technical designation of NAHRO is," Franco, now CEO of the Corpus Christi Housing Authority, candidly admitted.

Texas NAHRO VP, Riza Nolasco would not answer any questions except to say, "Check the website."

"We represent a point of view. We educate Congressmen and Senators," said John Bohm, head of NAHRO's Legislative Programs and Media, "informing them on a perspective."

As it stands now, a total of $3 billion has been allocated out of the Obama stimulus to housing authorities nationwide, of which $120 million will go to Texas.

The group's 2010 budgetary recommendations to Congress are also in place, and if enacted, they would place an additional $37 billion in the Housing Authority's coffers.