Auburn Avenue Theater
City of Auburn
The City of Auburn, Washington sought a new community theater for arts and culture as part of a larger investment in the City’s downtown infrastructure. The new Auburn Avenue Theater, located adjacent to the Postmark Center for the Arts and a new Arts Plaza, will serve as a magnet to draw the community into downtown Auburn’s growing arts and culture hub.
Size: 10,300 sf
Location: Auburn, WA
Stat: Pursuing LEED Silver
Architect of Record: Otak
Design Architect: Opsis Architecture
The reimagined venue will replace the former Auburn Avenue Theater, originally constructed in 1926 and lost to irreparable damage from an adjacent structure fire. The expanded building footprint will extend to the highly visible corner of Auburn Avenue and Main Street and stretch eastward toward a new outdoor Arts Plaza with integrated public art, reinforcing its presence in the heart of downtown along Main’s busy pedestrian corridor.
Inspired by traditional theater marquee entries, an elongated marquee with integrated LED lighting will span the full length of the building along Main Street. The open and transparent design of lobby will showcase the work of local artists to both visitors and passersby.
The covered entries at both the southwest and southeast corners of the lobby will create welcoming opportunities, extending the visitors’ experience to the Arts Plaza and activating Auburn’s primary business corridor.
This vibrant community venue will feature a modern, flexible 300-seat proscenium theater that supports community theater productions, musical theater, dance productions, comedy shows, tribute performances, children’s theater productions and private rentals. With approximately 1,200 sf more space than the prior building, the new theater will include a more robust concession area, green room and improved back-of-house facilities.
Pursuing LEED Silver certification, the new Auburn Avenue Theater will strengthen the City’s expanding arts and culture core, establishing a new civic destination in downtown Auburn.
