SNEAK PREVIEW : Granada Theatre enters its final phase of restoration

TOM RISEN, NEWS-PRESS BUSINESS WRITER

Granada Executive Director Peter Frisch shows the area where the symphony pit will be at the Granada Theatre. MICHAEL MORIATIS / NEWS-PRESS

An artist's rendition shows what the Granada will look like when it is completed. "It was raw the last time I saw it, the walls were bare. Now it has modern material but it has historic European form." Nir Kabaretti,conductor of the Santa Barbara Symphony

October 9, 2007 7:11 AM

The final cost of rebuilding of the Granada Theatre will be about $60 million to make it bigger, better and stronger for the 21st century when it reopens in March 2008.

A tour of the half-finished venue on State Street was given on Monday for Nir Kabaretti, conductor of the Santa Barbara Symphony, which will make its home at the Granada next year.

"It was raw the last time I saw it, the walls were bare," said Mr. Kabaretti, who hadn't been there in seven months. "Now it has modern material but it has historic European form."

What began as an elaborate paint job developed into seismic retrofitting and eventually a complete redevelopment of the original 1924 theater, said Granada Executive Director Peter Frisch. "We've added modern amenities beyond the demands and codes of 1924," said Mr. Frisch. "Much of the vision and style remains, but it's no longer the original Granada Theatre."

All but the stage right wall of the foundation has been dug up, and many of the walls were torn down. The grand staircase has been rebuilt and widened to make it safer to navigate.

Yet the original 1924 chandelier still hangs above the great hall, a golden wheel with a dome surrounded by glittering stones.

"Light is shone through the dome which filters through stones laid across the ceiling and fills the house with a glow," said Mr. Frisch.

Joan Rutkowski, board director for the Granada, performed as an opera singer there in 1968 and remembers the old design.

"When I sang Beethoven's 9th the acoustics in the hall made me feel present, they were fantastic," said Mrs. Rutkowski.

Numerous changes have been made to optimize acoustics; they include the rounding and shaping of the walls in the concert hall to make sure that the sound from the stage and the orchestra pit will be projected to all seats in the house.

"We have contracted the seating in the house from 1,600 to 1,550 and the design will make sure there are no bad sideline seats," said Mr. Frisch.

There will be plenty of sound to project, as the new expanded orchestra pit can seat 54 performers, which will make it the largest between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

The building was retrofitted to meet 100 percent of the earthquake safety standards set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which meant an opportunity to dig new rooms in the lower levels. There is now a prop and carpentry shop, as well as storage rooms, a laundry section, and most importantly, dressing rooms and warm-up areas for performers.

"When I performed here the dressing rooms were terrible, and so was backstage," recalled Mrs. Rutkowski.

The new Granada will have 11 new dressing rooms, each with a sink and a shower. Mr. Kabaretti said these amenities and spaces will do much to make the theater attractive to first rate performers.

"It's not always about the money. Artists want to work in a theater where their voice and instrument will project wonderfully," said Mr. Kabaretti. "If a theater isn't very good you'll have trouble bringing a superstar even if you have the money. Performers will talk about this place. In one week after the opening from Sydney to Paris they will know how well this theater has been remade."

Along with comfort for performers, considerations have been made for the patrons, including for the disabled.

"Handicap accessible codes didn't exist in 1924," said Mr. Frisch. "So we built a whole new building in the alleyway next door where we've made an elevator for disabled guests."

The second floor will have a catering kitchen in the Founders Room reception area, and there will be five concession stands throughout the house. Outside, the marquee will extend all around the width of the building with a canopy so patrons exiting the new bronze, wood and glass doors can buy from concession stands as they leave.

"This renovation has been a long time coming," said Mrs. Rutkowski.

Completion of Granada Theatre restoration on horizon

JASON DAVENPORT, NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT

September 27, 2007 7:31 AM

Supporters of the Granada Theatre gathered on the historic venue's garage rooftop on Wednesday to share in the sense of accomplishment that comes with reaching the final stages of construction.

"This party is the kickoff to a five-month countdown to the long-awaited reopening of the theater slated for early March of next year," said Vince Coronado, director of marketing. "With the roof capping off this stage of the project, we are all focusing toward the reopening."

Nearly 200 people enjoyed the talents of a local quartet of violinists -- Anna Corcoran, Camille Miller, Liam Collins and Nick Coventry -- "Fiddlers on the Roof," as they were dubbed by organizers.

"Getting to this point is so rewarding," Granada Executive Director Peter Frisch said in a statement. "There is still a tremendous amount of work inside the theater and behind the scenes, but from this point forward, it's only going to continue to accelerate and build momentum."

Restoration of the Granada was initiated in 1998 by the Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to restore the 1,550-seat theater and provide a dynamic community center for creative expression, arts education and social interaction. The Granada plans to be a year-round, multi-purpose regional venue for music, theater, dance, opera, musicals, films, lectures, conferences and community events.

Project members are within $1 million of their $48 million goal. If they hit that mark by the end of the month, the project can qualify for a completion grant boosting total campaign funds to more than $50 million.

After reopening, the Granada, at 1216 State St., will play host to the area's top performing arts organizations.

Scene Change

March 14, 2007 8:13 AM

STEVE MALONE / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS

Construction workers pour cement for the new stage at the landmark Granada Theatre on State Street on Tuesday. A worker climbs along the back wall as another worker makes sure the iron supports are braced correctly before the work crew aims the hose that begins to fill the stage-floor rebars with cement. Before the mixture sets, the crew will smooth it out until it becomes perfectly flat.

Setbacks in renovation delay Granada reopening to 2008

TOM JACOBS, NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

December 23, 2006 7:17 AM

The reopening of the renovated Granada Theatre has been pushed back yet again, to January 2008.

The 1924 facility, which is being converted into a performing arts center, was originally scheduled to open in the fall of 2005. This is the fourth time that date has been moved.

Peter Frisch, executive director of the restoration project, said Friday that he is quite confident in the new timetable for completion. He has even announced an official opening date: Jan. 16, 2008.

The estimated cost of the project remains at $50 million. To date, $39 million has been raised toward that goal.

With the agreement of the city's Planning Commission, Mr. Frisch has authorized the construction team to go into "accelerated mode." This means some workers will have extended or even double shifts on certain days, depending on what precisely needs to be done.

"They're working in multiple areas at the same time," he said. "Yesterday, the last of the concrete was poured, completing the new foundation. Also, if you look inside, you can actually see dressing-room door frames."

Mr. Frisch said the latest delay was due to a combination of factors, including a number of unpleasant surprises. The soil under the building wasn't as compact as expected, necessitating additional shoring of the basement. The density of the concrete in some of the vertical pillars was not what had been hoped, which meant they, too, had to be shored up.

Several months ago, a leaking oil tank that apparently predates the original building was discovered during the excavation of the new basement level. By law, work had to be stopped while a state commission reviewed the project's plans to dispose of the potentially hazardous waste.

In addition, "It took months and months" to develop plans to retrofit the adjacent Granada tower to withstand an earthquake, and then to coordinate that project with the retrofitting of the theater, Mr. Frisch said.

When completed, the theater will seat 1,500 people and serve as the home for several local arts organizations, including the Santa Barbara Symphony. A Broadway series of touring shows is also planned.

The extensive renovation project includes expansion of the lobby, the construction of a wider stage to accommodate the symphony, and a new basement level containing restrooms, dressing rooms and rehearsal space.

The symphony, which has long suffered in the acoustically mediocre Arlington Theatre, had been planning to move into the Granada next fall. Officials of the orchestra were not available to comment on this latest delay.