In light of the news that Newport’s Island 7 Cinema could be upgraded soon, I decided to check in on Corona Del Mar’s Port Theatre and see where the drawn out project stood.
Over two years in to the Port Theatre’s renovation and the exterior has undergone a dramatic transformation. While maintaining the Port’s classic style, textured metal plates have been affixed to the upper facade and perforated panels, with mirrored backings, have been added to the street level walls. According to the site’s construction team, the lower level mirrors will showcase a backlighting system, which will create a plum and hot pink lighting effect at night. During daylight hours, the mirrors result in an almost translucent effect (on approaching the theatre, I momentarily thought the auditorium had been razed).
The theatre’s interior remains an unfinished shell, with plans somewhat in limbo. Initially, there had been talk of creating a luxury lounge environment, with food and alcohol service. However, the owner recently backed off the restaurant and bar idea, to avoid overly involved permit and code requirements. Apparently, one of the key sticking points was the requirement for additional parking, if a restaurant/bar was included.
While the Port looks to have made some significant progress over the past year, there remain some questions as to when the theatre will reopen and what style of cinema will be operated. Early permit filings have indicated plans for only twelve, yearly, “special events”, but these plans appear far from concrete at this point.
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