Henrico Theater

Project Overview

  • Reduced seating allowed for a full-sized stage and multipurpose areas
  • State-of-the-art systems were seamlessly incorporated
  • Extensive measures taken to restore the original Art Deco character
  • Award of Excellence, Virginia Society AIA, Design Excellence in Historic Preservation
  • Award of Merit, AIA Hampton Roads, Design Excellence for Preservation

Renovations to the theater helped preserve the historic architecture, while new multi-purpose areas and state-of-the-art equipment usher the venue into a new era.

The Henrico Theater, an Art Deco movie theater and landmark on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1938. The original building design was a stark contrast of a simple, plain white exterior with a vibrant, colorful interior, very typical of the period in which it was built. The goal of the project was to restore the character of this historic building while gracefully transforming it into a multi-use venue that would provide much-needed cultural arts facilities for the east end of Henrico County.