For our scope, ELS helped transform the theater into a flagship live music venue (operated by Another Planet Entertainment) and the home of the Oakland School for the Arts. ELS developed the original design concept for historic preservation and reuse of the theater for contemporary performance use by accommodating a flexible capacity (ranging from 1,500 to 2,800 seats) and creating room for an open dance floor and standing room or cabaret-style seating at the stage’s front. We were able to reuse and recycle building materials, interior finishes, and the existing below-floor air delivery system, which supported the project’s sustainability efforts. Dozens of new neighborhood businesses and roughly 2,000 new residential units came on the heels of the Fox’s reopening. The project has received AIA California’s Merit Award, National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Honor Award, and California Preservation Foundation’s President’s Award.

Awards

AIACC Merit Award

National Trust for Historic Preservation Honor Award

California Preservation Foundation President’s Award