According to a press release issued today by Marcus Theatres, their renovations to the North Shore Cinema in Mequon, Wisconsin are more than 80% complete and should be finished by May 2009.

The renovations were announced last July and were scheduled to begin in Fall. The large addition to the East side of the building was bricked in a few weeks ago, and work was beginning on the entrance.

This is the entrance of the Marcus North Shore Cinema before construction began on a new covered porte-cochère as part of the renovations, which began last fall and are scheduled to be completed by May.

The renovations will add a 70-foot-wide UltraScreen®, expand the concessions area, add a Zaffiro’s Italian restaurant and a cocktail lounge, as well as upgrades to the other auditoriums. The Zaffiro's restaurant will bring pizza choices, and the upgraded concessions area will offer sandwiches, burgers, wraps, and appetizers. There will be a baby grand piano in the lobby with cafe-style seating, so it sounds like it will be very similar to the Marcus Majestic in Waukesha.

Each auditorium is also being upgraded with wide memory-foam reclining seats, so you won't have to go to the UltraScreen (and pay UltraScreen prices) to enjoy some of the new improvements. According to the press release, nine of the eleven auditoriums will also offer reserved seating.

North Shore Cinema is constantly busy every time I pass by that location. Even after the 2005 opening of the Marcus Saukville Cinema, the parking lots were always filled.

The North Shore Cinema opened in 1990 and closed for several months after a fire in December 1997.

Source: Marcus Theatres Press Release