Earl Smith Strand Theatre
117 North Park Square NE,
Marietta,
GA
30060
117 North Park Square NE,
Marietta,
GA
30060
7 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 45 of 45 comments
STRAND THEATRE FLYER WITH ELVIS PRESLEY.
View link
For the full text of the above article, go to
View link
Was in Marietta recently and the headline on the MDJ was “STRAND SAVED”.
Restoration on the Strand appears to be stalled and there is some discussion that the theatre might be demolished. Does anybody have any word as to the fate of the Strand?
Here are some photos from December 2005 of the Strand.
The Friends of the Strand have recently completed a soft demo of the theatre interior. This included removing all of the modifications made during the 1960’s remodling and the additions made for the beer draft house. This opened up a larger area under the lobby and stage. The sheet rock lobby restrooms, 1960’s offices etc are now gone. Rick Sibly of Sibly and Associates is currently preparing drawings and research for the adaptive restoration of the theater to include a new Prosenium Arch (destroyed in a 1980’s fire), theatre pipe organ chambers, a lobby elevator etc. The Theatre roof, HVAC, Electrical and plumbing will be completely replaced. The 1935 Art Deco Look will be restored to as close as the original as possible based on photographs, newspaper articles, and personal recollections. Our fund raising efforts now exceed $600,000. Seating will be reduced from its original 875 to between 600 and 700 seats depending on ADA and code requirements. We are excited about the progress of this theatre’s coming to new life.
Ron Carter
Secretary to the Friends of the Strand
Good morning Ron. Whom is the architect on record for the project..?Thanks,
Davis McCollum
www.rcmsgroup.com
Patsy
I believe that you were looking at the Theatre in the Square which is on the opposite side of the Square and is a black box theatre in a remodled store front. They have about 200 seats and do great productions. The STRAND is across the square on the NE Corner. We will be returing the box office and Marquee to its original 1935 design. We have also recieved additional gifts and our fundraising now tops the $600,000 level which is mostly corporate gifts. We hope to start grass roots fundraising toward the end of the year where a person can by a seat in the theatre etc. Preliminary interior demo work is to start sometime in late March. This is sheet rock walls, a kitchen that was installed under the balcony when it was a Pew and Brew. An architect and historical consulant have also been retained. We cannot find the plans for this building so the Architect is going to have to measure and draw up new ones. We have got to get all of the modernization that was done in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s out of the theatre.
Ron Carter
Secretary to the Friends of the Strand
I am a sixth generation Marietta alum and grew up on the Marietta Square. My grandfather and uncles (John McCollum and Johnny/Davis Walker) ran a mens clothing store there for 60 years. We are in conversations with Cheryl Moultrie and ESarl Smith to provide a 3D visual computer graphic (virtual reality) model/presentation to assist in the fund raising effort. Anyone needing similar services, please see www.rcmsgroup.com/casestudies and contact me in Atlanta, GA
Davis McCollum
(404)435-6015
R. McGee: In your recent post you spoke of the Coca-Cola bottling plant in Atlanta. I’m in the Charlotte area and recently found a former Coca-Cola bottling plant on West Morehead Street that has ornamental exterior cement coca-cola bottles along the top facade! Very unique and so thankful it still exists in a town that demolished many wonderful old buildings over the many years! The building is now office space. I thought I would be able to provide a link to see this former plant, but at the moment have not been able to locate the photo that was provided on the www.cmhpf.org site. “cmhpf” stands for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Preservation Foundation. When I mentioned Charlotte demolishing many old buildings that I viewed in a book entitled Remembering Charlotte I came to realize that one that hasn’t been demolished, but is in dire need of a MAJOR restoration is the Carolina Theatre. I thought it best to also interject a theatre note with my non-theatre related comments.
Ron: Great to read this sentence in regards to the Strand…..“New information will soon be on the site about the Robert Morton Theatre Organ that will be installed in this Art Deco house.” Congratulations and I have emailed a lady named Cheryl who is with Friends of the Strand to receive further information.
Just viewed the photos on the Friends of the Strand site and during my visit to Marietta do not recall seeing any facade with marquee,ticket booth, etc. while in town so perhaps this has all been changed yet the auditorium still exists?
I was in Marietta in December and took a photo of a former theatre on the square, but it was in the middle of the block and not on the corner as depicted in some of the photos on this link….so did Marietta have 2 theatres?
Friends of the Strand have new web site full of photos and information about the Strand Theatre. Please go to www.friendsofthestrand.com for additional information. New information will soon be on the site about the Robert Morton Theatre Organ that will be installed in this Art Deco house.
Ron Carter
Secretary to the Friends of the Strand
The following appeared in the Atlanta Chapter ATOS August 2004 Newsletter:
STRAND THEATRE RECEIVES FIRST LEAD GIFT…
John Williams of Post Properties has given the Friends of the Strand its first challenge gift of $300,000! This, along with several smaller gifts from local financial institutions and individuals, brings our contributions to just over $333,000/ The first gift, of course, was from Cooper Music. Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward have also given a gift of $10,000. The building is now in the possession of the Friends with appropriate insurance purchased. A time table has been established for the theatre’s renovation and a construction management company has been hired. De’Oplossing, Inc., which has offices in Texas and Marietta, was chosen. They just completed a $1-million conversion of the old Coca-Cola bottling plan on Roswell Street, across from the National Cemetery, to office condos. This is their main headquarters. De’Oplossing has completed an extensive one-week building assessment and survey and has developed the following schedule:
From August, 2004 to January, 2005 will be the demolition and design stage. This will include the removal of all electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems, particularly the rood duct-work and HVAC machinery, so that major roof repairs and a new roof can be installed. RFPs for Architect services will be solicited during August, and a plan an cost-estimate for the ATOS Atlanta Chapter-owned Robert Morton organ will be developed. I have asked Pipe Organ Sales and Service’ Mr. John Tanner to develop the renovation and installation plan and cost-estimate for the organ. It is the intent of the Friends of the Strand to completely fund the organ renovation, installation, and construction of chambers and organ elevator (lift.) Also during this time, in-depth research on the interior design, color scheme, interior decoration and furnishings – to include a new stage and proscenium arch (to include stacked organ chambers on both sides) will be completed. It is our desire to restore the “look and feel†of the theatre to its original 1935 appearance, but with state-of-the-art projection, sound, lighting and to meet all current code requirements and handicapped access. Depending on cost, we may raise the roof area above the stage to “fly†the movie sheet and some lighting racks and curtains. Depending on space and budget, the Robert Morton could be enlarged to around 19 ranks with a second Tibia and Vox. Clark Wilson has given the chapter information concerning an original Robert Morton three manual console very similar to what controlled our Robert Morton when it was in the Capitol Theatre in Atlanta. It is the Paul VanDerMolen console and it ran 19 ranks. It is currently being housed in the Ohio Theatre and is for sale. It would also be completely redone.
The entire project is to be completed by early 2006.
This project will bring new life to the Marietta Square and to our cherished Robert Morton Theatre Organ.â€
(Ron Carter, Secretary to Friends of the Strand and Chairman of the Removation Committee.)
R. McGee
Atlanta, GA
08/10/2004
Hi Ron
My name is Alan Thompson. I’ve been reading about the plans for renovating the Strand Theatre on the Marietta Square and may be of some help.
My company handles all the promotional material for the Canton Theatre on the square in Canton. They/we have been successful in raising awareness as well as increasing sponsorship in the Theatre. I was hoping to be able to get in touch with either Mr. Earl Smith or Chery Moultrie, both affiliated with Friends of the Strand and offer our services.
Can you help me get in touch with either person.
My sincere thanks!
Alan Thompson
MOJO Productions, Inc.
151 E. Marietta Street, Suite D
Canton, GA 30114
ph: 770 479 3461
fx: 770 479 4899
Friends of the Strand sign 50 year lease with the Goldstein Family.
On May 28th after 2 years of negotiation and research a group of community leaders and business people will begin a fund raising effort to raise 5 million dollars to renovate and restore the Art Deco 875 seat movie house. The Atlanta Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society is donating its 18 rank Robert Morton Theatre Organ to Friends of the Strand Inc. for installation in the theatre.
A new Proscenium arch, Organ chambers and stage will be constructed. The seating capacity will be reduced to around 700 to compensate for the new enlarged stage and organ chambers. The organ Console with rise from the basement on its on elevator-center stage.
The theatre will boost state of the art sound and projection equipment. Extensive research was performed by Erica Taylor of the Savannah COllege of Art and Design on the history of the Strand.
Marietta Ga. is the county seat of Cobb County a northwest suburb of Atlanta, Ga, with a population of over 700,000 persons. The Strand sits on a thriving town square of resturants and businesses. It will be used for concerts, movie screenings, and corporate events.
Grand Opening sometime in early 2006
Submitted by Ron Carter Secretary to Friends of the Strand
The Strand Theatre seated 976 people.
Sorry, the above link is for an Atlanta Journal-Constitution article.
Here is a link for an article in “The Cobb Times” publication regarding the current happenings with the Strand Theatre, Marietta, GA.
View link