Restoring The Ritz: Corpus Christi's Cultural Renaissance with Cheryl Votzmeyer-Rios

In this episode, we're delving into the vibrant cultural scene of Corpus Christi, Texas with Cheryl Votzmeyer-Rios, the Executive Director for Corpus Christi PATCH, Inc.

Corpus Christi PATCH, which stands for Positive Action Toward Cultural Heritage, is on a mission to revive the heart of the community through the restoration and development of The Ritz Theatre. This historic landmark, built in 1929, holds a special place in the city's history as the first talking movie theater in the area.

In this episode, Cheryl shares insider insights into the ongoing renovations at The Ritz Theatre, which has been closed since 1989. It's not just about restoring bricks and mortar; it's about revitalizing the soul of Corpus Christi. The PATCH team is dedicated to transforming The Ritz into a state-of-the-art entertainment and education venue, breathing new life into this cherished piece of local heritage.

But that's not all – as a Corpus Christi resident, Cheryl also gives us a glimpse into the vibrant tapestry of this coastal gem, offering tips and recommendations for anyone planning a visit. Whether you're drawn to its sun-kissed beaches, rich cultural heritage, or thriving arts scene, there's something here for everyone.

RESOURCES

Learn more: The Ritz – Historic Corpus Christi Theatre (ccritz.com)

Visit Corpus Christi: https://www.visitcorpuschristi.com/

Farmer’s Market: Art Center of Corpus Christi | Art Gallery + Community Center + Event Space (artcentercc.org)

Itinerary: Coastal Bliss: A Corpus Christi Escape of SUP Yoga, Nighttime Kayaking, Island Adventures, and Culinary Delights – Itinerary (globaljourneyswithjilldutton.com)

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Welcome to Global Journeys with Jill Dutton, the podcast where we embark on a journey through culture and place, one fascinating story at a time. I'm your host, jill Dutton, an avid traveler and writer, passionate about exploring the world and uncovering the unique tales of the people I encounter along the way. Join me as we delve into the heart of destinations, offering an insider's perspective through the captivating narratives of individuals who shape their communities. Whether it's chatting with a distillery owner crafting artisanal spirits, an angler casting lines in remote waters or a chef mastering the flavors of a region, each episode offers a glimpse into their world and expertise. Stick around till the end of each episode to discover more about my travels and writing adventures. In the meantime, get ready to be inspired, enlightened and transported to distant lands on Global Journeys with Jill Dutton. In this episode, we're delving into the vibrant cultural scene of Corpus Christi, texas. Today we have a special guest joining us Cheryl Votesbier-Rios, the executive director for Corpus Christi Patch Inc.

Speaker 1: 1:13

Corpus Christi Patch, which stands for positive action toward cultural heritage, is on a mission to revive the heart of the community through the restoration and development of the Ritz Theater. This historic landmark, built in 1929, holds a special place in the city's history as the first talking movie theater in the area. Over the years, it evolved into the Ritz Music Hall, hosting legendary performances by icons like Willie Nelson, bob Dylan and Metallica. In this episode, cheryl shares insider insights into the ongoing renovations at the Ritz Theater, which has been closed since 1989. It's not just about restoring bricks and mortar. It's about revitalizing the soul of Corpus Christi. The Patch team is dedicated to transforming the Ritz into a state-of-the-art entertainment and education venue, breathing new life into this cherished piece of local heritage.

Speaker 1: 2:08

But that's not all. As a Corpus Christi resident, cheryl also gives us a glimpse into the vibrant tapestry of this coastal gem, offering tips and recommendations for anyone planning a visit. So whether you're drawn to its sun-kissed beaches, rich cultural heritage or thriving art scene, there's something here for everyone. The following episode was recorded on location inside the Ritz Theater. When did this whole come about of any decision to restore it? So you're looking projected about five years. When did you?

Speaker 2: 2:52

start planning it. So there's quite a bit of story that goes to this project. It closed down in 89 and sat in district care for gosh until the 2000s. And so Monica Sawyer had moved to town and got married and saw it one day when she was riding a bicycle downtown and got together with her friends, kara Edge, and was talking to her about it and they're like we're going to do something with the fear. I wonder how we could get in touch with the owner and see what would be happening with it. So they found out that Robert Rowling owns it, who is the owner of the Omni Hotels, trt Holdings. And so they approached him, asked him about the building this is our superintendent for the oh Stoddard. So they brushed him off the rock ground and asked him about the theater and he said he would rather it be purchased, but if he was willing to give it over, if there was certain parameters met, you know. And so they weren't wanting to donate to your project because it was still owned by a billionaire and you know it's for profit, it's not non-profit, he's this. So they went back to him and said no one's wanting to help us with the project because your name is still on the deed. And so he said well, if you can get a non-profit established, then I'll donate it. So he ended up donating it after the non-profit was formed and then there's like a small hurdles that have been jumped and goals have been reached.

Speaker 2: 4:25

Number one getting this place cleaned out and a little tidy. The junior league a porpoise Christie came in and helped clean up the building a few times I believe is what I heard and then I know that they were here I don't live many times, but volunteers have come in to clean it out and then they had the roof repaired, so water was coming in the old way. There were pigeons, and so they got that worked on. And then, moving forward, they hired me back in November of 22. They had a couple of fundraisers prior to COVID. Covid happened. We had Hurricane Harvey come through and they had received a grant in 2019 for repair on the exterior. Then COVID happened and they can do it.

Speaker 2: 5:13

So we are on a time crunch right now to complete this phase of work because it's through the Texas Historical Commission. They gave us 230,000 matching grants. We got the city to. I worked with them for the last year to receive a matching grant, to receive another 230. And so then we have been working and being at Water Fight Just the most important thing would be theaters, because you can't get water coming in when you're free or renovate, and this is where we are now. So, for a year and two months into the project, so, as I've come on board and we've raised a substantial amount of money to be able to hire Susan and to be able to get the architects on board and the engineers, and they've done their studies and we just received some renderings, which I think you've seen the recent renderings in us, which is phenomenal.

Speaker 2: 6:09

So we'll not only rehabilitate the historic building but we're going to do a Performing Arts Center edition in the Park Vellante, next door, which will offer so much programming and it'll have programming for the community. It's not just going to be a music hall, it's going to be music, dance, theater, you know just anything performing arts, and then conferences, rentals for parties. In the second building We'll have a black box theater, so they'll be programming there and that's the new building you're going to head in. You said that'll be ADA, ada compliancy. They're going to bring all of the seating into ADA compliant. We'll have the elevators installed on the outside of the wall which will be the interior of the new building, Okay, where we can bring people up to the second levels. That way there's accessibility up top and we have accessibility down here. This seats we have one original seat from day one, up in the projector room, and so we're going to take that and model the design out of it, but make it larger, because our statues now days are bigger compared to people back in the 1800s it's not early 1900s More comfy seating. So it's going to be really cool, and it'll be 1000 seats as opposed to 1300 is what they've been able to take care for by planning and health, state of the art, of course, sound.

Speaker 2: 7:32

Oh, we're going to bring the person in back in. They took that out to put the screen in, but it's a very ornate, carved, almost like a frame that goes around the stage, and there's a picture of it in black and white up front. I'll show it to you, but it's beautiful, so it will be like the brick showing It'll be. And do you have any needs? Is there anything? Well, you know, do you donations? We definitely need funding.

Speaker 2: 7:55

We're in the beginning stages of fundraising. The project's going to run well up to $55 million, if not 60. So we're planning on having at least two or three years of operational funding from that fundraising because up this first years of getting established and having the programming and having staffing on boards to make it happen. But I mean this is going to be the highlight of downtown. It's a game changer for Corpus Christi. I believe it will be the talk of Texas. I believe so too. Yeah, fantastic. A lot of people talk about, oh, corpus it's so low-key and it's great and it will always, I think, be like that. But I think you can also have these really beautiful amenities for our guests and our community, and that's where we're headed.

Speaker 1: 8:38

We always also focus on the insiders'. Look at Corpus Christi. So you and your husband live here in the water.

Speaker 2: 8:43

Yeah, is that? Just I'm not four blocks off the water on the bayfront. Love the water. What would be a perfect day for you? Oh God. I love waking up at sunrise. I can see the sun coming up over the horizon, which is beautiful. I see the water all the way from east, southeast, all the way to the west to the new bridge, so I've got views of downtown. I can see the Naval Air Station. I love walking the boardwalk. It's a beautiful, beautiful bayfront and we're one of only a handful in all of the United States that you can actually get off a boat in the marina and come into a downtown area to eat drink shop. There's not many, and so right now they're putting about $50 million into the marina to deepen the marina and to make bigger slips for yachts to come in, because we don't have that accessibility yet. But once we have that and once everything's in place of like oh why would I get you know off my boat and walk into downtown. It'll all kind of work in tandem together, fantastic.

Speaker 1: 9:44

And this morning you took us to Salas Tacos for breakfast tacos, yes, to get to have that experience. How did you?

Speaker 2: 9:51

because it's kind of off the beaten path. You know, I happened to cross it one morning. I was waiting to go to the post office. They weren't open yet and I was hungry and I saw it and I tried it and it was. I really am excited that I found it, because it's really one of the best tacos in Corpus Christi.

Speaker 2: 10:06

We're known for tacos, you know, and we're known for Tex-Mex and breakfast tacos, though Breakfast tacos are a big mainstay here. I mean, everybody eats tacos. We have tacos in the morning, tacos at lunch, tacos for dinner, taco Tuesday. Literally, we talk about taco Tuesday. We had tacos on Tuesday night Excellent, yeah, I think my perfect day is. You know, I can do everything downtown. We are missing a food market, so that's coming. I think what we're waiting is the as a grocery store, Mm-hmm, Okay, yes, the farmers market. That is nice, it's very nice. That is a beautiful place over there. Diana Sherman she's the executive director over there has done a very good job of incorporating the farmers market music, food trucks, vendors, local beef companies and eggs and just dairy. I mean it's just really a great farmers market.

Speaker 1: 11:01

Yes, and I purchase some jewelry and I visit farmers markets in every city I go to and so it's so fun to see what's in season and what people are growing and selling.

Speaker 2: 11:11

And then it was a nice one. Yeah, they do a really nice job and they always have a new art exhibit. Oh yeah, because it's held at the Art Center. It's at the Art Center and so they do family art time on Saturday. It's a lot of community outreach there, free programming for children. They do art exhibitions for local artists and traveling artists, these types of studios that we're working in there. They're going to be having an expansion as well, so to have them there near the yacht club and on the I mean it's going to be the flagship downtown. It'll complement what's happening with the Ritz. We have an art center. It's just going to bring us to a new level in Corpus Christi.

Speaker 1: 11:49

Yes, and having a farmers market on the water is just always a. It's beautiful, it's a nice answer.

Speaker 2: 11:54

It is. It's a nice place to go out and eating a snack and watching, and that's when they have Wednesday Night Regatta and the Wednesday Night Regatta the sailboats go out for time trials every Wednesday, taking off right there by the Art Center and going out. Yeah, oh, that's fun. Oh, you've had a great place to lay. It's beautiful. It's a beautiful place. I've been here since late 96. And I won't leave. I like to travel. I travel a lot, I travel all over the world and I love coming back here because it's very late back. There's things to do, my friends are here, the climate is great. I mean there's a handful of days that might freeze. You know we have hot summers, but that's what the beach is for and we've got gulf breezes coming in to cool us down. So a nice margaritas.

Speaker 1: 12:38

And I've heard that there are lots of hiking trails and beaches nearby, so we have hiking trails.

Speaker 2: 12:45

We have the, of course, the 10 mile bayfront that can be walked. We do have out at the beach. The beaches are beautiful to walk in. There's hiking paths around town. There's some parks that are really being improvements are being made so it's more pedestrian friendly. A lot of people are used to driving here. They don't want to be out. It's hot sometimes so people think, oh, I'm not going to ride my bike, I'm not going to walk, but they're making it where it's pedestrian friendly, biker friendly, which is great.

Speaker 1: 13:12

Yes, Well, thank you so much, You're welcome.

Speaker 1: 13:20

Welcome to Global Journeys with Jill Dutton, the captivating travel podcast that takes you on an extraordinary adventure around the world. I'm your host, jill Dutton, and I am thrilled to be your guide through the mesmerizing tapestry of cultures, landscapes and experiences that await us. Global Journeys with Jill Dutton is more than just a travel podcast. It's an exploration of humanity itself. Through the power of storytelling, we illuminate the lives of the remarkable individuals we encounter along the way, whether it's through the eyes of a fishing guide, a distillery owner, a mixologist, a historian, chef, or even a farmer. Each person we meet adds a rich layer to the narrative of culture and place. In this podcast, we embark on a transformative journey where the focus goes beyond the typical tourist attractions. Instead, we dive deep into the hearts and souls of the places we visit, uncovering the hidden gems and untold stories that make each destination truly unique. Join me as we venture off the beaten path, seeking authenticity, connection and a deeper understanding of the world we inhabit. Together, we'll unravel the tapestry of cultures, one story at a time. Although my writing career began in the late 90s, when I created and launched a wellness publication called Evolving Magazine, since 2015 I've worked as a travel writer on a mission to seek out the locally celebrated foods, liquor trends, outdoor activities and stories of those I meet along the way. My work has been published in Wine Enthusiast, a far woman's world, first for women, insider road trippers, modern farmer chilled magazine and many more digital and print publications. I'm also the creator of Global Plates the people we meet, the food they eat a syndicated column. Creating this podcast is the next step in my journey of sharing the stories of the people I've met along the way. So pack your curiosity, leave your preconceived notions behind and let's embark on global journeys with Jill Dutton, where each episode promises to inspire, educate and awaken the wanderlust within us all.

Speaker 1: 15:36

As we travel on this exciting podcasting journey together, I invite you, our incredible audience, to be a part of it. Share your own travel stories, insights and recommendations with us. Whether you have a hidden gem in your hometown or a dream destination that has captured your imagination, we want to hear from you. Your suggestions will help shape the future episodes of Global Journeys, with Jill Dutton guiding us towards extraordinary locations and experiences that deserve a spotlight. Remember, this podcast is not about just the host or the guests. It's about the collective exploration and discovery that unites us all as wanderers in this vast world. So reach out to us through our website, social media channels or email and let your voice be heard. Send your suggestions to me at Jill at Global Journeys with JillDuttoncom. I can't wait to hear from you. Until next time, may your travels be filled with endless curiosity, open-hearted encounters and transformative adventures. Life travels, fellow explorers, and keep wandering.