Constructed by Heman Perry’s Service Realty Company, the Ashby Street Theater opened in 1934 and offered state-of-the-art sound and acoustics as well as plush seating for black audiences. The theater provided an important community hub to those living in the area. Once segregation laws were lifted in the mid- and late 1960s, and integration of public spaces began to take place, the theater’s attendance declined. Closing in 1974, the building fell into relative disrepair; however, there is renewed interest in revitalizing the theater for community use. The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation listed the theater as one of the state’s “Places in Peril” in 2021.

GreenRock Partners has taken up the mantel to restore The Ashby Theater.