Theater Lobby Renovation

Lobby today

Last fall, Vice Chancellor for Facilities Management, Jose Nuñez, initiated a project to complete a facelift of the Theater Lobby using District Deferred Maintenance and remaining Bond funds. To fulfill this initiative, President Buckley assembled a project group, which included faculty and staff from the college’s Performing Arts and Art programs as well as Interior Design Professor Elsa Torres. Professor Torres included three of her students who had the opportunity to work closely with the architectural firm, LCA Architects. 

The group has met several times over the past couple of months to assist in developing design ideas which would include: improving display cases for student art work, new carpeting, new doors, baffling panels, and light fixtures. The goal has been to develop a more inviting and modern lobby to welcome the community and our students. 

Proposal rendering

Architect Brent Randall, listening to the ideas and practical needs of the users, incorporated them into a proposed design. He indicated how much he enjoyed working with the Interior Design students and how impressed he was with the creativity, enthusiasm, and insight they brought to the project.

In addition to the Theater Lobby, the refurbishment project includes replacing carpeting and lights in the Theater House itself. The carpets and lights have not been updated in more than a decade, during the last theater refurbishment. Current planning includes additional baffling on the west interior to limit noise from reaching the second floor walkway that overlooks the Lobby. Should there be no unforeseen circumstances that might delay the project, work could begin as early as this summer.