ATLANTA — After standing for more than 90 years, the historic Ashby Street Theatre on Atlanta’s Westside is beginning a new chapter with the help of artificial intelligence.

Plans are moving forward to redevelop the long-neglected theatre into a multi-use community space led by the Atlanta Business League. The Ashby Street Theatre first opened in 1934, during what preservation leaders describe as the neighborhood movie house era, and was one of the first theatres to serve Atlanta’s Black community.

Principal architect Ed Akins said artificial intelligence played a key role in the early planning stages of the project. He said the technology helped the team better understand the building’s structure and uncover historic details.

“We used it to actually animate and provide some character association with the individuals that were using the facility,” Akins said.

Akins said AI was also used to assess the condition of the building, revealing the need for a roof replacement and other repairs. He said the technology allows designers to look beyond static images and historic documents.

“It allows entry into the project a little differently than static images or maybe just historic documentation,” Akins said, adding that it helps visualize how the theatre operated in the 1930s.

The Atlanta Business League plans to transform the space into a community gathering hub. Jay Scott with Green Rock Partners said the redeveloped theatre will serve multiple purposes for the community.

“The theater will be able to hold meetings, presentations, classes, as well as having community events and other things in there,” Scott said.

Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation representative Wright Mitchell said the theatre’s history makes the redevelopment especially meaningful.

“It opened in 1934 during the neighborhood movie house era,” Mitchell said.

Akins said community interest in the project is already growing.

WSB Radio’s Mary Ryan Howarth contributed to this story.