June 16, 2010

Inside the historic Georgia Theatre

Rene Diaz
David Camp, who says he did much of the renovation before the fire last year, puts a new message on the Georgia Theatre marquee in downtown Athens, Ga., on Friday Oct. 15, 2010 congratulating friends of the theatre Erin and Hardy Morris on their marriage. Morris is the lead singer and guitarist of the Dead Confederates. (David Tulis/Staff/david.tulis@onlineathens.com)
Rene Diaz
Construction is moving along during the rebuilding process at the historic Georgia Theatre in Athens, Ga., on Monday August 16, 2010 which burned down on June 20, 2009. Owner Wilmot Greene said in a recent interview that musicians, music fans and preservationists have donated thousands of dollars toward the $4 million rebuilding project, and Greene hopes to open the restored theater next spring. (David Tulis/Staff/david.tulis@onlineathens.com)
Framed by the outside fence, Charles Hutchins of Hobgood Construction Group, looks at some of the interior excavation during the rebuilding process at the historic Georgia Theatre in Athens, Ga., on Monday August 16, 2010. (David Tulis/Staff/david.tulis@onlineathens.com)
Agustine Juarez, left, and Rene Diaz do some interior dirt excavation work by hand as construction continues during the rebuilding process at the historic Georgia Theatre in Athens, Ga., on Monday August 16, 2010. (David Tulis/Staff/david.tulis@onlineathens.com)
One of owner Wilmot Greene's signature messages proclaims, "Men At Work," which is a metaphor for both the ongoing construction and the 1980s Australian band during the rebuilding process at the historic Georgia Theatre in Athens, Ga., on Monday August 16, 2010 which burned down on June 20, 2009. (David Tulis/Staff/david.tulis@onlineathens.com)
Construction is moving along during interior excavation of the historic Georgia Theatre in Athens, Ga., on Monday August 16, 2010, which burned down on June 20, 2009. Owner Wilmot Greene said in a recent interview that musicians, music fans and preservationists have donated thousands of dollars toward the $4 million rebuilding project, and Greene hopes to open the restored theater next spring. (David Tulis/Staff/david.tulis@onlineathens.com)
The theatre entrance shows signs of construction during the rebuilding process at the historic Georgia Theatre in Athens, Ga., on Monday August 16, 2010. The theatre burned down on June 20, 2009. (David Tulis/Staff/david.tulis@onlineathens.com)
One of owner Wilmot Greene's signature messages proclaims, "Men At Work," which is a metaphor for both the ongoing construction and the 1980s Australian band during the rebuilding process at the historic Georgia Theatre in Athens, Ga., on Monday August 16, 2010 which burned down on June 20, 2009. (David Tulis/Staff/david.tulis@onlineathens.com)
Sitting on concrete steps inside the venue on Tuesday, June 8, 2010, Georgia Theatre owner Wilmot Greene talks about rebuilding the 121-year-old building in Athens, Ga., that first opened as a concert hall in 1977. (David Manning/Staff/david.manning@onlineathens.com)
Greene walks past a marquee letter inside the venue on Tuesday, June 8, 2010. Earlier this month, Athens First Bank approved a loan for Greene to start rebuilding the theater. (David Manning/Staff/david.manning@onlineathens.com)
Georgia Theatre owner Wilmot Greene surveys the scene inside the venue on Tuesday, June 8, 2010. “I had to spend a couple hundred thousand just to secure the walls and make them safe,” he said. “It would’ve been easier to start over, but there’s just so much history here.” (David Manning/Staff/david.manning@onlineathens.com)
It's been a year since the historic Georgia Theatre caught fire but work on the venue is progressing slowly. Here is a look inside and around the theatre to see how things are shaping up since last June. The Georgia Theatre's marquee, which frequently changes, congratulates graduates on Tuesday, June 8, 2010 in Athens, Ga. (David Manning/Staff/david.manning@onlineathens.com)
Marquee letters sit against a wall inside the Georgia Theatre on Tuesday, June 8, 2010 in Athens, Ga. To help rebuild the venue, fans of the theater from across the country stepped in to help raise money at different concerts, through T-shirt sales and on the theater’s website. (David Manning/Staff/david.manning@onlineathens.com)
Owner Wilmot Greene shows approximately where the fire started inside the Georgia Theater on Thursday, October 29, 2009 in Athens, Ga. The theater will soon open an eBay auction up for several fire-damaged knickknacks and posters salvaged from the fire. (David Manning/Staff/david.manning@onlineathens.com)
After a lengthy cleanup, just the four steel-supported brick walls remain inside the Georgia Theater on Thursday, October 29, 2009 in Athens, Ga., where bands like R.E.M., Pylon, Widespread Panic and the B-52s had played to crowds of about 800 for years.(David Manning/Staff/david.manning@onlineathens.com)
Charred 250-year-old hard pine roofing timbers sit inside the Georgia Theater on Thursday, October 29, 2009 in Athens, Ga. (David Manning/Staff/david.manning@onlineathens.com)
Though it usually posts quirky messages, the marquee above the Georgia Theater is vacant on Thursday, October 29, 2009 in Athens, Ga. The new Georgia Theatre will be a completely new building in the shell of the old one, a setup that will meet modern codes and historical standards. Greene has worked with architects and planners for months to satisfy both the county and the historic societies. (David Manning/Staff/david.manning@onlineathens.com)
David Manning/Staff Athens Clarke firefighters battle a blaze at the historic Georgia Theater in Dowtown Athens, Ga., on Friday, June 19, 2009. Over 40 Athens Clarke firefighters worked to extinguish the multi-alarm blaze.

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