Hopes for Lincoln Theater area include park and trail

The East Baton Rouge Redevelopment Authority aims to have a master plan ready by early August outlining changes to the old Lincoln Theater on Myrtle Street at Eddie Robinson Drive. The theater itself, owned by the Louisiana Black History Hall of Fame, is a civil rights landmark; the 1953 Baton Rouge bus boycott is said to have been planned there. The RDA plans to put the theater back into service for movies and the performing arts. They also want to add a museum to the site and make some changes to the surrounding area, including façade improvements, a small park in the lot across the street, and a trail from Myrtle to South Boulevard that could connect to the proposed downtown greenway. Project manager Harold Briscoe says about four lots near the theater have been purchased so far, roughly 20% of what would be needed. Briscoe says it’s too soon to give an estimated total cost or timeline for the project. Architect Norman Chenevert and the Foundation for Historical Louisiana are also involved in the project. —David Jacobs