Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles Breaks Ground on Transformative Renovation Project

A few weeks ago, The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles (SCLA), celebrated the groundbreaking of its “home improvement project.” 

Renowned architecture firm SPF: a was tapped to lead the architecture & design. The renovation will include a state-of-the-art 299-seat live performing arts and community center, a 22,000-square-feet multi-media rental studio, supporting broadcast, streaming, recording, and traditional sound stage activity, and a cultural community center dedicated to world-class theatrical productions, high-quality arts enrichment for students and teachers, work-readiness training for youth, and on-the-job training / transitional employment for veterans and chronically unemployed. 

SPF: a’s vision for the theatre’s reboot focuses on maximizing the potential of the existing structure. Instead of building from the ground up, the original 1964 warehouse will be transformed into a two-story, 16,200-square-foot, state-of-the-art public theatre. Upgrades will include retractable seating, a stage trap, classrooms, workshops, and other supportive, flexible spaces for administrative operations. Structural changes include raising the current roof by 20 feet and creating a stage pit. The new theater will also feature a green roof to absorb sunlight and improve insulation, along with a rainwater collection system for irrigation.

To date, SCLA has secured $15 million for the renovation through the innovative sale of US Department of the Treasury New Market Tax Credits, a game-changing contribution of California Arts Council funds arranged by California State Senator Maria Elena Durazo; a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration, and a lead gift from The Ahmanson Foundation that put the project in motion.