No performances or music can currently be heard at the Majestic Theatre in downtown Brownsville. That’s expected to change after UTRGV announced they purchased the building, with plans to revitalize it into a performing arts center.

Brownsville City Manager Helen Ramirez says the upcoming center only adds to the goals of revitalizing the city’s downtown area.

“The sky's the limit with artists and culture and art, I think that they can do so much," Ramirez said, adding that she hopes the partnership will create an even livelier spot. 

Downtown businesses owners say they're excited about what this means for local shops.

The Majestic Theatre sits in the corner of East Elizabeth Street. The university estimates it will cost more than $47,000 to renovate the building, but it's a space they need.

The university currently shares performing art space with Texas Southmost College, and they only use it less than a third of the year.

“Having a 100 days out of the year is very limiting because we have a lot of events, not only student faculty events, but in order for us to grow our distinguished artist series we really need more days of the year,” UTRGV College of the Fine Arts Dean Jeffrey Ward said.

A timeline for the opening of the performing arts center isn’t set, but the university said they plan to look at architectural designs and meet with students and faculty over the project.

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