Back to the 1920s: Plans for Martin Theatre's rebirth include a restaurant and speakeasy
PANAMA CITY— Hurricane Michael delivered a devastating blow to the Martin Theatre in downtown Panama City in 2018, but the historic entertainment venue is being primed for a spectacular comeback.
City officials, engineers and community members met last week to present an updated plan for the theater and discuss the interior renovation. Plans call for adding the Tennessee House restaurant and The Ritz speakeasy bar and lounge, and transforming the movie theater into a theater for the arts.
The Tennessee House will take over the Martin's former "green room" while The Ritz will occupy the former Downtown Improvement Board building next door to the Martin on the north side.
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"The new design would be a unique centerpiece for Panama City, and with this new look, people would visit our town just to experience the Martin Theatre," Mayor Greg Brudnicki said.
The project's primary goals focus on transforming the Martin into a self-sufficient multi-functional facility while maintaining a modern look that keeps its historic character.
Officials noted the interior's theme would follow the aesthetics from the art deco period in the 1920s. In addition, plans call for adding balcony and storage space, and enhancing the natural light.
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Other key goals include generating additional activity in the downtown area for local businesses, accommodating flexibility in the venue to allow for more usability, and enhancing the city's image to make Panama City the premier city in Northwest Florida.
"(The development) is very exciting for me to see because it's what the citizens deserve, and it may take us some time to get there, but we want to do it right," City Commissioner Jenna Haligas said.
Brudnicki said the Martin Theatre's interior renovation design is about 90% complete, and developers will bring back the final design for the next workshop in July. He anticipates the city will move forward with the development as early as September and complete it at the end of 2023.
"I'm hoping this development will spawn more traffic to Panama City, and I feel we're on the right track because we have a lot of innovative people who are interested in our community," he said. "We want to create that destination where they would want to come and explore Panama City while they're vacationing on the beach. And I want that opportunity for our community because we owe it to them to rejuvenate our city."
This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Martin Theatre in Panama City reopening with restaurant, speakeasy
