The Crump Theatre sits in a state of suspended animation. Its weathered jade green and cream facade gleams over 3rd Street, in downtown Columbus, Indiana, where “CRUMP” blazes vertically in bright yellow letters. The marquee, trimmed in bulbs, evokes a bygone era of vaudeville and golden-age cinema. Soon, the landmark will see the lights come up again. Indianapolis-based architecture and design firm DKGR Architects has been selected to lead the Crump Center for the Performing Arts’ long-awaited renovation, transforming the 1889 building into a 750-seat contemporary performing arts and community venue.
The announcement marks a major step in Columbus’s cultural redevelopment efforts. DKGR was chosen following a competitive Request for Qualifications process, which drew interest from regional and national firms specializing in historic preservation and adaptive reuse. Three finalists presented to community stakeholders at the theater in August.
“DKGR has an impressive portfolio of award-winning adaptive reuse projects that honor the past while creating spaces for contemporary cultural and civic life,” said Steve Sanders, manager of Project Encore, the community-driven initiative to restore the Crump. “Their vision aligns perfectly with the Crump’s next chapter—connecting our history to a thriving, creative future that attracts and retains talent, and stimulates our downtown economy.”
The Crump Theatre, located at 425 3rd Street in Columbus’s Historic District, has been a fixture of downtown life for over a century. Designed in 1889 by architect Charles Franklin Sparrell for local businessman John Smith Crump. It hosted touring opera troupes and vaudeville acts, establishing itself as one of Indiana’s first purpose-built theaters for live performance.
A 1941 renovation by architect Alden Meranda introduced the theater’s current art deco aesthetic, with horizontal banding, bold lettering, and a glowing two-piece marquee. Through much of the 20th century, the Crump thrived as a movie house and performance hall, but by the 80s, competition from suburban multiplexes and a downtown economic downturn left the theater struggling. Community preservation efforts prevented its demolition in the 1990s, but structural deterioration and safety issues forced it to close in 2014. That is until almost a decade later, in 2023 after a volunteer-led initiative cleaned and stabilized the mothballed theater, culminating in the Crump’s partial reopening for public tours and small events.
The Crump was recently reactivated during Exhibit Columbus 2025. In which Chicago-based firm Adaptive Operations unveiled Accessing Nostalgia, an installation that reinterpreted the theater;s historic fabric with reclaimed materials and portraits of local volunteers who helped sustain it.
Now, the Crump’s revival is part of a broader Columbus Downtown 2030 Plan, which identifies the site as a catalyst for downtown vibrancy and cultural growth. The project also builds on the Envision Columbus (2018) framework and the Arts & Culture Feasibility Study (2024).
The Columbus Indiana Downtown 2030 Leadership Team said the project “promises to breathe new life into the historic Crump Theatre—blending its timeless charm with modern capabilities.” Once reopened, the team noted, “the Crump will reignite downtown Columbus as a vibrant destination, drawing regional audiences and energizing the city’s economic and cultural landscape.”
As the design process unfolds, DKGR will have to balance preservation and innovation, working to maintain the historic details while upgrading interior systems to meet contemporary accessibility, acoustic, and sustainability standards. Set to reopen in 2028, the reimagined Crump will house a main performance hall, flexible community spaces, and new amenities designed to support diverse cultural programming.
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