San José Civic Auditorium Reopens after Historic Renovation

by: Diana Banh | November 14, 2012

The historically renovated downtown San Jose Civic Auditorium has officially reopened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Built in 1936, San Jose Civic is a Spanish mission-style venue that historically hosted a wide range of civic events, including sports, conventions, City Dances and general assembly for over 75 years. In the 1960’s and 70’s, the dual-level, mid-sized venue hosted major rock legends, such as The Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra, Bob Dylan, Jefferson Airplane, and the Grateful Dead, to name a few.

The rehabilitation, which spanned two-and-a-half years, was mostly completed while the theater remained in operation. Retaining the building’s historic character, the rehabilitation included seismic upgrade, accessibility improvements, new toilet rooms and concessions, dressing rooms, VIP lounge, new seating, theatrical lighting and sound systems for the 3,000-seat main venue, as well as improvements to the 380-seat Montgomery Theatre that is home to San Jose Children’s Musical Theater. With the historic renovation complete, the Civic continues its tradition as the favored concert venue for Silicon Valley under the promotion of Nederlander Concerts and provides a major program venue for the McEnery Convention Center directly across on San Carlos Street.