“Contractors are uncovering more original layers of the historic Warner Grand Theatre as they restore the building for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra,” writes Sean Ryan in an article and accompanying slideshow in Wednesday’s (12/19) Milwaukee Business Journal. “Some of the historic theater seats were found tucked away in the basement, and will be used as a model for new ones that will be manufactured. There’s a long way to go before the Art Deco building regains its original luster, which is the intent of the roughly $90 million renovation.… Once fully restored, the West Wisconsin Avenue theater will reopen in fall 2020 as the symphony’s new home and performance hall. Owners of the neighboring Shops of Grand Avenue and surrounding office buildings have credited the MSO project as sparking a broader revitalization of West Wisconsin Avenue…. The theater’s basement has a water line about eight feet up the wood-clad walls, showing how high the tide rose when it flooded years ago…. A major component of the project is moving the back wall of the theater space to expand the stage area…. The project also will gut and rehab several floors of the office tower that stands atop the theater’s lobby.”
Posted December 21, 2018
