In celebration of its 60th anniversary this year, the San Diego Civic Theatre is in the midst of a $7.5 million makeover that includes a new lobby bar, new restroom stalls, new performer dressing rooms and exterior landscaping and improvements. But one of the most noticeable changes will be a new interior color palette.
For the past six decades, the interior of the 3,000-seat auditorium at 1100 Third Avenue has been decorated in the colors of red and gold. The new color scheme on the floors, stairs and lobby spaces will be a deep ocean blue, with flowing designs of teal, sand, brown and black that evoke San Diego’s tidepools and coastal waters. The new interior design was created by Tucker Sadler Architects and IGroup Design.
The yearlong project is being undertaken by San Diego Theatres, which manages the city of San Diego’s Civic and Balboa Theatres. The money to fund the renovations is paid for through event ticket fees.
“Enhancing the guest experience for those attending events at the Civic Theatre is a top priority,” said Carol Wallace, president and CEO of San Diego Theatres, in a statement. “These upgrades will transform the Civic Theatre for a new era and helping ensure it remains a vibrant, contemporary cornerstone of San Diego’s arts and cultural community.”
Last summer, the Civic Plaza that surrounds the theater on its north and west sides, underwent some landscaping improvements to create more pre-show open-air gathering spots for ticketholders. In March, the upper balcony lobby spaces were repainted. Also recently, the building’s original box office was removed and replaced with a lobby bar.
There are also plans to create areas for outdoor entertainment on the plaza, install European-style privacy stalls in all lobby restrooms and update performer dressing rooms backstage.
To avoid interfering with the busy schedule of touring and local shows booked at the theater this year, all renovations are being done in the pockets of time between engagements and scheduled for completion in late September.
“We are committed to investing the necessary resources to upgrade this cultural icon,” said Joseph Martinez, San Diego Theatres’ board chair, in a statement. “We are polishing the diamond so to speak, bringing it into a new era, and ensuring the theatre is something all San Diegans can be proud to have represent our city.”
Most of the renovations will be completed in time for the Civic Theatre’s 60th Anniversary Open House celebration at the end of September. The free event will include live music, activities and free tours, followed by a ticketed performance that has not been announced.
The San Diego Civic Theatre opened to the public on Jan. 12, 1965, as the culmination of a decades-long effort by city boosters to create a downtown community concourse. Except for a break during the COVID-19 pandemic, the theater has operated continuously since then. Last year alone, the Civic Theatre hosted more than 300,000 ticket-buyers for more than 140 performances, contributing $23 million to the local economy and $1.5 million in local and state tax revenues. The theater also provides 348 full-time jobs.
