Historic Plaza Theatre going forward with $4 million renovation

ATLANTA — Some big changes are coming to a piece of local history.

The owner of the Plaza Theatre, Chris Escobar, is planning to return the space to its former glory, while also giving it some 21st-century updates.

Channel 2′s Berndt Petersen first reported on these changes back in 2022, speaking to Escobar. On Tuesday, Escobar confirmed the renovation is moving forward to the next phase.

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The theater will be adding an elevator to the back of the building to make it more friendly to people with disabilities.

Additionally, Escobar says he would like to replace non-historic doors, add a ticket booth, and install poster casings and lighting on the underside of the plaza’s marquee.

It is unclear when all these changes will be finalized.

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Built back in 1939, it’s the city’s oldest and last single-screen cinema. Longtime patrons say there’s nothing like it. Escobar purchased it in 2017 and has been working on it ever since.

He said he wants to return the theatre in the Poncey-Highland neighborhood back to its former glory while also modernizing it.

Escobar also owns the historic Tara Theatre in Buckhead, which was closed for around six months starting in November 2022, before it reopened in May 2023.

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Plaza Theatre to be renovated to look more like 1939 opening

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