Edwin Cabaniss took an old movie theater, damaged by a tornado 50 years ago and shuttered for decades, and he turned it into one of the coolest live music venues in Dallas.

For his efforts, the Old Oak Cliff Conservation League is honoring Cabaniss and the Kessler Theater with the 2010 Ruth Chenowith OOCCL Conservation Achievement Award.

The award was created this year to recognize “outstanding conservation achievement pertaining to a property of historical significance in Oak Cliff”.

Cabaniss will accept the award at the league’s Dec. 13 holiday party at Nova.