In January 2008, spotlights illuminated the long dark Balboa Theatre bordering San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter Historic District– a 22-year effort returning the vaudeville-era theatre to its original 1924 splendor while transforming it into a state-of-the-art performing arts center. Under Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC), the landmark Balboa Theatre was renovated for $26.5 million as part of the Horton Plaza retail and commercial redevelopment, succeeding after numerous attempts to make it viable through private developers had failed. The project team consisted of CCDC in collaboration with Westlake Reed Leskosky, lead preservation architects and engineers, Heritage Architecture & Planning, associate architect/preservation consultant, Pfocus as owner’s representative, PCL Construction Services, Inc. as general contractor, and a team of engineers, theatre and restoration specialists. The Balboa Theatre was originally built for $800,000 by the Balboa Building Company, with William Wheeler as the design architect. The Balboa Theatre uniquely featured two elevated, recessed waterfalls flanking the proscenium opening. The auditorium chamber was described as a “glittering jewel box,” because of its bronze metallic powder paint. The ceiling includes ornate and gilded plaster grillwork that funnels sound throughout the building. One of the theatre’s unique performance-related features is its oversized orchestra pit accommodating 30 to 40 musicians. The theatre’s design provides it with excellent acoustical qualities for live, non-amplified performances. The Balboa Theatre Foundation restored a Wonder Morton Organ, one of only five of its kind in the nation, installed in the Balboa. The scope of the design and construction included the restoration of the entry rotunda and the entire audience chamber and balcony. New state-of-the-art mechanical, electrical, and performance systems such as rigging, lighting, and audio/visual technology including full variable acoustics were installed. Using a digital printing process, and based on a historic photograph, a new house curtain and grand drape valence were created in the style of the original. Lobby, box office, loading area, and public amenities were improved and expanded, and the long-missing exterior blade sign and entry marquee were accurately recreated and installed under the leadership of PCL Construction Services, Inc. Tight site constraints adjacent to Horton Plaza posed considerable challenges to renovating and expanding the 45,113 s.f. theatre. Modern requirements for staging, dressing rooms and support needed to fit entirely within the existing 5-story theatre building. Without the use of a freight elevator or ability to bring in a temporary crane due to limited space a temporary opening was made on top of the roof to install a 500 linear foot by 3 feet wide catwalk above the existing ornamental ceiling. Additionally, with a focus on coordination and an aggressive schedule, a wall to wall, floor to ceiling scaffolding was built within the theatre. Dulling oxidation, dirt, heavy tarnishing in the auditorium, dropped ceilings in the entry and over-painting in the lobbies had masked the 1924 appearance. Through forensic research, microscopy, and paint survey, PCL’s subcontractor, EverGreene Painting Studios was able to piece together the historic palette: a unique interior of brilliant colors, highlighted in bronze with soft shades of purple, turquoise, rose and ochre over an earth-toned ground. Drawing on scientific evidence paired with historic photos, and conserving original paint and plaster wherever possible, the original theme was replicated. Completed in several phases, and restored to The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Restoration, the work involved a lengthy yet rewarding interdisciplinary process that included peer review, ongoing-cost estimating and value engineering, allowing the project to stay within budget while continuing to move forward.

Project Information

Project Address: 

868 4th Avenue, San Diego, CA

Project Owner/ Developer: 

Centre City Development Corporation

Owner Contact Name/ Email: 

Gary Bosse, bosse@ccdc.com

Project Architect/ Designer: 

Westlake Reed Leskosky and Heritage Architecture - PCL Construction (GC)

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