Shockingly, Lafayette’s Doomed Art Deco Theater is Rising From the Ashes After $10.5m From Community
LAFAYETTE, CALIFORNIA – Lafayette once had a stunning Art Deco theater—every bit as grand as the iconic Orinda Theatre down the road.
Sadly, the Park Theater, which is located right by Sideboard in downtown Lafayette, California, has sat empty and decrepit for 20 years.
The theater originally opened in 1941. It has the same type of beautiful marquee, Art Deco lobby, and early 20th-century vibes as the Orinda Theatre.
For generations, the Park showed movies in Lafayette. In 2005, though, the theater went dark. Thankfully, it wasn’t demolished.
Now, a $10 million-plus effort from the community is poised to bring it back. For years now, the Park Theater Trust has worked on raising the money needed to refurbish the theater and reopen it as a movie theater and community arts space.
As of the most recent city council meeting, the Park Theater Trust had raised $10.5 million from over 1,000 donors. That means they only need $2 million more to have the funds ready to embark on the ambitious restoration project.
Architects at Oakland‑based Arcsine unveiled a design that retains the theater’s Art‑Deco façade and vintage ticket booth while expanding the rear of the building by 22 feet.
Key features include:
- Two auditoriums (a large main house with removable seats and a more intimate second screen)
- A community room fronting Mt. Diablo Boulevard for meetings, music sets or private parties
- A rooftop terrace and bar accommodating up to 49 guests—complete with solar panels for sustainability
Anticipating that the money will come in, the Park Theater Trust has started on construction, with fences encircling the iconic Lafayette structure.
Here’s a quick technical update on where construction stands:
Construction fencing and hazardous‑materials abatement are already in place.
- Final permit sets were submitted to Contra Costa County this spring; ground‑breaking on major interior work is expected by early fall.
- TPTT has tapped CinemaSF—operator of San Francisco’s Vogue and Balboa theatres—as its programming partner, promising affordable ticket nights, student matinees and special‑event rentals when doors open.
Based on the money raised so far and projections for finishing the campaign, the Park Theater Trust anticipates this icon of historic Lafayette reopening in 2026.
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That would be fantastic for downtown Lafayette, which already appears to be on the upswing. It would be another reason for people to visit, much as the Orinda Theatre draws people to the nearby town.
Already, the “halo effect” of the impending reopening may be benefiting the community. Big Woof just opened in a vacant storefront down the block from the theater, and Brioche de Paris is bringing a Finch Bakery in next door.
Want to stay up-to-date on progress on the Park Theater and every new business opening in the 925? Make sure to subscribe to my free 925 News newsletter so I can keep you in the loop.
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