Warner Grand Theatre’s outdoor second story reimagined. (courtesy: SPF:architects)
PLANNING THE WARNER GRAND’S $10 MILLION RENOVATION: AN INTERVIEW WITH ALISON BECKER interview by Liz Schindler-Johnson
To capture this moment, I caught up with Alison Becker, senior advisor to Councilman Buscaino. He has given her the responsibility of “making the Warner Grand renovation happen.” Her job is to keep the project on track. She leads biweekly meetings with me, as the representative from Grand Vision Foundation, and city employees with relevant roles from at least four city departments, including the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) Performing Arts Program which operates and manages the building. That’s how you know a project is important at the City of Los Angeles — when the departments hold regular meetings together.
I asked Alison these questions recently over Zoom:
local resident who likes to attend performances and perform himself, he has a long-standing interest in seeing the theater succeed. It’s very personal to him.
Why did this restoration project get started? Even before he took office, Councilman Joe Buscaino knew that Grand Vision How and why was the had been advocating for architecture firm SPF:a the theater for a long selected? time. He was aware Alison Becker Once we got the funding that the building needed secured in 2019, we issued major improvements, both in terms of a request for proposals to a prequalified preservation and technical functionality. list of architectural firms, which is how He shares the community’s vision the City operates. A call was released for the theater as a hub for cultural a year and a half ago, and we reviewed and artistic events and an anchor the proposals with the DCA and for economic revitalization. As a Grand Vision. Everyone agreed that
Happy 90tH anniversary to tHe Warner Grand!
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SPF:architects was the most qualified. They displayed a sensitivity to historic preservation and had experience restoring the Hollywood Pantages. In the spring of 2019, we selected SPF:architects for the planning phase of the project, which was to draw up a feasibility study with detailed budget information and architectural renderings. The renderings and plans they produced, while some are aspirational, are very inspiring and show the potential of the theater. After this plan was completed, we were able to select them as the project architect.
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