An iconic Brownsville theater reopened last week, but instead of a space for entertainment, it's now a space for learning. The historic Lowes Pitkin Theater has been made into a charter school, thanks to a $43 million makeover that took two years. The building had been left vacant since the 1970s. Now named the Brownsville Ascend Charter School, the space is a state-of-the-art school serving kindergarten through fourth grade. Administrators say they want to eventually expand to 12th grade. Crews are still working on the building's exterior, as well as 12,000 square-feet of new retail space along Pitkin Avenue.