A plan to turn one of downtown Rome’s longtime landmarks into a live music venue has taken another step forward. The Rome City Commission approved a resolution Monday supporting a $250,000 state loan application to help renovate the former Partridge Restaurant building at 330 Broad Street. The proposed venue, called Live at the Partridge, would bring new life to the property, which has been vacant since the restaurant closed in 2017.
The funding would come through Georgia’s Downtown Development Revolving Loan Fund, a program designed to encourage redevelopment in historic downtown areas. As a Georgia Main Street community, Rome qualifies for loans with a 2% interest rate and repayment terms of up to 15 years.
The Rome Downtown Development Authority plans to apply for the loan on behalf of Partridge RE Holdings LLC. The project has also identified approximately $2.5 million in private investment to support the renovation.
City Manager Sammy Rich said the project presents an opportunity to restore a downtown landmark and create a music venue similar to the Georgia Theatre in Athens.
The building originally housed the Gordon Theatre before the Partridge Restaurant moved in during 1962. The restaurant remained a downtown fixture for decades before closing, and several efforts to redevelop the property have been discussed since then.
