Oakland Theater Project Leases New Space on San Pablo
The 14-year-old company secures a 13,000-square-foot building to expand its performance capacity in Oakland.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Arts Theater — General
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In September 2026, the Oakland Theater Project signed a lease for a new venue at 1743 San Pablo Ave, a site that formerly housed the New Parish music venue. The theater company plans to renovate the 13,000-square-foot facility and aims to complete a purchase of the property by the end of 2027.
Why it matters
The move allows the company to transition from its long-time home in a garage attached to the Flax store, where it was limited to 80 seats. By expanding its physical footprint, the group intends to significantly increase its audience capacity to remain sustainable.
The new facility will feature 200 total seats, comprised of 130 on the ground floor and 70 in the balcony, effectively replacing the 70- to 80-seat capacity of the former garage.
The players
Oakland Theater Project
A 14-year-old performing arts company that has spent the last eight years operating out of a garage.
The details
The renovation project includes the construction of a main performance area and a secondary black box space. Leadership plans to finance the future purchase and ongoing operations by leveraging the significantly larger venue capacity.
Timeline
2025: The theater company learned that the Flax store planned to vacate its building.
September 2026: Oakland Theater Project signed a lease for 1743 San Pablo Ave.
October 22, 2026: The organization made a public announcement regarding the new lease.
November 20, 2026: The theater company begins its final show at the Flax store.
End of 2027: The organization has set this as the target date to purchase the building.
Industry Dynamics
The transition to the former New Parish site reflects a broader trend of small arts organizations repurposing legacy music venues to gain square footage. This move marks a departure from the company's historical reliance on smaller, unconventional spaces like the Flax store garage.
Theatergoers can expect significantly higher ticket availability once the new venue opens with over 200 seats. The move also necessitates that audiences transition from the previous Flax store location to the new Uptown neighborhood site.
The takeaway
Expanding to a larger facility is a strategic necessity for the company to remain financially viable after 14 years. Residents looking to support local arts can look forward to increased seating capacity and the debut of a new black box performance space by 2027.
What happens next
The Oakland Theater Project anticipates presenting its first show in the new venue during 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about local performance updates in the Arts Theater — General section.
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