Albany in Dougherty County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Albany Theatre
Executive Office Suites
A preservation project of
Oglethorpe Development Group, Inc., and
The Friends of Albany Theatre, Inc.
Construction is supported in part by a
Save America’s Treasures Grant Administered by the
National Park Service Department of the Interior
and
• Dougherty County Historic Preservation Commission – CDBG
• The Friends of the Albany Theatre, Inc.
• Special Purpose Grant from the United States Department of
Housing and Urban Development
The two-story Albany Theatre was completed in 1927 and operated as a retail-executive office suite building integrated with a 2000 seat vaudeville & film theatre. The original concept of the facility is credited to Adolph Gortatowsky, the original financing for the construction was provided by the Farkas Estate, the architectural ingenuity is that of Roy A. Benjamin, Jacksonville, Florida. After almost 50 years of operation, the theatre closed in the late 1970’s.
The City of Albany and other organizations refused the Albany Theatre as a gift from the Farkas Estate in mid-1990’s due to its derelict condition. Employing his vision of what had been billed in history as one of the most beautiful amusement houses in the State of Georgia, James R. Miller, Real Estate Developer, President and CEO of Oglethorpe Development Group, Inc., in 1997, purchased the property from the Farkas Estate. February 1998, Oglethorpe Development Group, Inc. through the use of private dollars, in cooperation with Friends of the Albany Theatre committed to restore the facility to its original lustre, while preserving its architectural prestige and community’s history. Oglethorpe Development Group in cooperation with Friends of the Albany Theatre has also committed a 50 year Preservation Easement to the State of Georgia Historic Preservation Division. The Albany Theatre in 2005 received the listing on the Georgia Register of Historic Places and preliminary determination for the National Register.
The 1st phase lower and upper atrium comprises 10,000 square feet of retail & restaurant space, executive office suites, a grand-foyer-stairway and mezzanine area. The 2nd phase is comprised of the auditorium restoration.
Albany Herald — September 10, 1927
Albany Theatre circa 1927
erected 2005
Erected 2005.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Entertainment. A significant historical year for this entry is 1927.
Location. 31° 34.639′ N, 84° 9.229′ W. Marker is in Albany, Georgia, in Dougherty County. Marker is on North Jackson Street south of Pine Avenue, on the right when traveling south. Marker is mounted at eye-level, directly on the subject building, just to the right of the front entrance. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 107 North Jackson Street, Albany GA 31701, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Nelson Tift Building (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Albany Lights (about 400 feet away); Freedom Alley and City Hall (about 500 feet away); United States Post Office — Courthouse (about 500 feet away); Albany Municipal Auditorium (about 600 feet away); British Royal Air Force Memorial (about 600 feet away); Carnegie Library (about 600 feet away); Colonel Nelson Tift (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Albany.
Regarding Albany Theatre. National Register of Historic Places #06000733.
Also see . . .
1. Albany Theatre.
The Albany Theatre opened as “Southwest Georgia’s Magnificent Theatre” on September 12, 1927, dedicated to “the pleasure-loving public of South Georgia.”(Submitted on November 27, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
2. Albany Theatre.
The Albany Theatre's first production featured H. L. Tallman on the Robert Morton Organ Company pipe organ (Opus 2304) along with Ralph Barnes and his Albany Theatre Orchestra accompanying The Magic Flame starring Ronald Colman and Vilma Bánky. Homer W. McCallon was the theater's director. The theatre adjusted to films with sound and remained in business until the 1970s.(Submitted on November 27, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on November 28, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 27, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 165 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 27, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.