This great Atlanta neighborhood just can't support this space - but I hope I'm wrong. Maybe you have an idea?
It had been wide open day and night so I finally walked in on February 27, asked if I could take some pictures. I love theaters and then there's the roof. This may be the only way you'll ever see inside.
Folks are renovating the storefronts between Atkins Park Restaurant and Surin of Thailand where Ben and Jerry's, Starbucks, and Key Lime Pie were. Curbed wrote about it: Empty Va-Hi Spaces May Fill Soon. But About That Theater…
"A December 4, 1937, Boxoffice magazine obituary of Atlanta showman Louis Bach says that he built the Hilan Theatre in 1933
"A few years after the theatre closed in 1969, it became the home of the Metropolitan Community Church." Currently ... ice cream parlor (Ben and Jerry's) and coffee shop (Starbucks) reside(d) in the space once occupied by the Hilan’s entrance and lobby." - First Metropolitan Community Church
Did you know it was theater?
From the Dark Horse in the back of Surin you can see the big boxy thing where the auditorium is.
From North Highland there's a long corridor back to the theater.
I think they renovated the auditorium hoping to attract the Cotton Club. What with parking, noise, and late night rock and rollers the neighborhood didn't go for it. The Cotton Club moved to the basement of the Tabernacle.
All dressed up and no place to go: Terrific renovation. They removed the sloped floor, there's a dance floor, a mezzanine, and a balcony, two bars.
From the behind the balcony bar.
They kept the good parts.
The proscenium style stage has it own behind-the-band balcony.
I took this from the southern Juliet balcony.
Maybe these will help give you a sense of the space.
Panoramic video from the center stage 30 seconds.
Panoramic video from the southern Juliet balcony 24 seconds.
Then there's the roof!
There are two levels of rooftops up there.
The first level.
Looking down on North Highland. I want to party here.
There's another level.
Yeah...
I want to party here too.
To the north "Wolfmother" Mural by Matt Haffner commissioned by whitespace.
To the east the steeple of Druid Hills Methodist designed by Ivey and Crook
To the south the lantern at Druild Hills Baptist designed by Edward Bennett Dougherty
To the southwest Druid Hills Presbyterian designed by Francis Palmer Smith.
Now you know.