Martin Theater Comes Alive!

PANAMA CITY, FL - Jonathan Hayes, City Manager of Panama City, gave a tour, on April 23rd, of the Martin Theater construction in progress at Four Points Plaza in downtown Panama City. Hayes stated that this historic building is worth saving because it was built prior to World War II. His vision is that when finished, it will be an iconic, beautiful structure right in the heart of downtown Panama City, with the Martin Theater remodeled and refurbished; the old Downtown Improvement Board (DIB) Building, immediately to its North, remodeled and refurbished to become the Ritz again, with finishes that will make it feel like you are stepping out of the early- to the mid-1900s; and the old Green Room, to the South, that was completely demolished, rebuilt from scratch to once again become the Tennessee House.

The complex will have a lot of event space, with the Martin Theater connecting to the other two buildings, elevators on both sides for ADA access, and rooms for performers at the basement level. Adding the Ritz and Tennessee House to the Martin Theater will give additional event spaces which will complement each other, allowing flexibility in the types of events to be hosted in the space, regardless of whether a performance is being held. A group could host a special event, or a reception before or after a show, using either or both buildings on each side of the Martin Theater. 

A feature that Hayes is most excited about is the outside, second-level balcony of the Tennessee House over Harrison, that will wrap around the building to 4th Street. He sees it as a great place to watch outdoor activities such as parades and special events, or just for people watching. This will help fulfill the vision of the commission for people to come downtown and park, then stroll around and enjoy dinner or a beverage or two. 

It is thought that completing the complex project of the Martin Theatre, Ritz and Tennessee House, will enhance the desire for further investment in downtown Panama City. 

About $2 million for the project is from the city. The bulk of it is from FEMA. The commissioners decided to combine all of their FEMA funding to complete this project instead of others that were proposed, because it had already passed the environmental and historical preservation study and review. 

The project is about five or six months into the demolition, with the building now down to bare concrete walls and steel, and they are shoring up the building. The goal is to complete the project during the Summer of 2027. However, as always with an 80- or 90-year old building, there will likely be some surprises found. 

Stay tuned for further updates, Panama City, while this beautiful facility comes to life over the next 18 to 24 months. 

Watch the Q&A with Jonathan Hayes here: 
https://rumble.com/v6t3bft-martin-theater-comes-alive-panama-city-fl.html