Augusta Colonial Theater

Originally opened in 1913, the Augusta Colonial Theater served as a beloved community gathering place for decades before closing in 1969. The building sat vacant and in disrepair until the mid-2010s, when a major restoration effort got underway, tackling everything from roof repair and window and door restoration to structural remediation. Our VDC team’s wall flatness analysis was one piece of a broader “Stage Area Restoration and Expansion” phase, but an important one, giving the project team the precise data they needed to move forward with confidence.

Working alongside JF Scott Construction and Trillium Engineering, the primary companies leading design and construction during this phase, our team used laser scanning technology to collect highly detailed information on the wall faces. The result was a set of deviation maps that helped inform restoration decisions and set the stage for the next chapter of this historic building’s life. The project ran from February to March 2026.

The theater’s future is shaping up to be something worth waiting for. Plans call for a 1,000-seat, fully accessible arts and cultural center with an expanded stage, modern sound and lighting, digital projection, and educational programming for all ages — all while preserving the original character of the historic building. A Phase I ancillary building will bring the space up to full operational capacity, with a second phase planned to include a flexible multi-purpose venue and a restaurant overlooking the Kennebec River. The timeline depends on continued funding, but the momentum behind this project is real, and the community vision driving it has only grown since restoration began.

More information about the project can be found on the Augusta Colonial Theater website.