Toccoa Main Street Takes Next Step in Ritz Theatre Renovation

Work continues to bring the Ritz Theatre back to its former glory.

Main Street Community Development Director Connie Tabor says she and Main Street Executive Director Christian Hamilton recently met with a representative from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs Office of Downtown Development .

“We’ve asked him to produce some plans for us for the renovation of the balcony at the Ritz Theatre, as well as look at the dressing rooms and see how we can modernize the dressing rooms down there,” Tabor said.

They also asked the representative to look at the front of the building to see if there are any improvements that could be made in the plaza area.

Currently, the balcony at the Ritz Theatre is closed because of structural and safety concerns, according to Tabor.

“There’s no railings to go up to the second level,” Tabor explained. “We really want to make sure that the structure itself and the front railings are sound. So, we will probably rebuilt that as well. Also, the chairs are torn up and they really need some major repair work done to them, if we don’t have to totally replace them as well.”

New lighting and flooring will also be installed in the balcony.

Tabor says the City is receiving a Rural Business Development grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fund the renovation of the balcony.

“The USDA World Business Development Grant has asked us for plans. So, we have to provide them with plans before they will allow us to begin the bidding process and so forth as far as the renovations for the balcony,” Tabor said.

Tabor says cost to complete the renovations will be between $90,000-$100,000.

The City hopes to have the work completed by the end of the year.