We heard about the proposal back in February, that the Austin-based Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain wanted to take over the New Mission Theater and turn it into a big, brand-new, mini-multiplex with food and beverage service. Now, after a community meeting earlier this week in the Mission, we have a full press release and some more details about the project, which will include five screens, a full menu, and is now slated for a Fall 2013 opening. CEO and Founder Tim League says, “There is no accident that the first theater outside of Austin that my wife and I pursued is in San Francisco,” further explaining that he was born in Berkeley, his parents met here, and his wife used to work here.
You can check out some of the blueprints here, courtesy of Mission Mission, which show how the main screen on the ground level will remain a big screen, but the upstairs balcony will be transformed into four smaller screening rooms.
Entrepreneur Gus Murad, who recently let go of nearby Medjool, bought the theater as well as the next-door Giant Value property, plans to build a 95-unit condo development on the Giant Value property. We’re pretty sure that funding for the New Mission renovation is contingent on the condo project moving forward — we don’t think the cinema alone can cover what’s going to be a serious seismic retrofit and renovation.
Before the expensive renovation gets under way, take a moment to check out the current state of this once grand, via Alamo Drafthouse San Francisco’s new Facebook page.
How they’re going to turn the single-screen New Mission Theater into a five-screen Alamo Drafthouse mini-multiplex [Mission Mission]
Earlier: New Mission Theater to Become Alamo Drafthouse With Five-Screen Cinema?
