A yearlong renovation of a high-profile performance theater that included two construction crews working seven days a week for six months, a helicopter placing more than six tons of air conditioning and electrical equipment on the Mark Taper Forum roof in less than an hour and the complex coordination of many high-end finishes is now complete.

Taisei Construction Corp., a Cypress-based general contractor, announced the completion of the $30-million renovation of the Mark Taper Forum. The iconic theater is part of the Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County, which includes neighboring venues the Ahmanson Theater, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion and Walt Disney Concert Hall.

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Taisei Construction began the extensive renovation process on the 41-year-old Taper in mid-2007. Although the exterior remains nearly the same, virtually every square foot of space inside the 750-seat, 25,281-sq-ft theater has been renovated, expanded, reconfigured, re-tiled and re-carpeted––in most instances with high-end finishes.

A new curving catwalk and rigging floor was mounted above new theater seats; dressing rooms and offices were relocated and expanded; a spacious lounge area has been added in what used to be a parking garage; restrooms were made more posh and roomier. And the round venue received brand new state-of-the-art acoustic, air conditioning, heating, electrical and plumbing systems.

“This was a very complex and difficult job, but the Taisei team was always there with creative solutions for every challenge we faced,” says Howard Sherman, vice president of operations for the Music Center/Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County, the project owner.

Sherman says a need to upgrade production requirements, lighting and sound to accommodate bigger shows, as well as bringing the guest areas up to today’s standards, prompted the ambitious renovation.

The new main lobby is twice as large as its predecessor and feature terrazzo flooring, a chain mail wall curtain, mirrored columns and a decorative aluminum ceiling with new lighting. The main lobby features a spacious bar area. The forum’s original signature abalone wall has been maintained, cleaned and lighted to showcase its natural beauty.

The new 1,350-sq-ft lounge area, created in part from space previously used for parking stalls in the garage, features greatly expanded men’s and women’s restrooms and a family restroom that include round wash sinks with standing mirrors and terrazzo tile. The lounge’s sleek design is highlighted by a graceful staircase with stainless steel handrails and a unique ceiling that has curved ribbons of metal.

The interior of the renovated theater is paneled in zebrawood with warm variegated wood tones and walnut ceiling panels.

“The only original items remaining inside the theater are the concrete risers and the perimeter walls,” says Ken Schultz, Taisei’s project superintendent.

Working with the round layout made it a challenge to accurately strike arcs and set angles for the catwalk and rigging floor. Catwalk supports were also difficult to construct because of the different radius points. Traditionally, arcs and angles are pulled from a square corner and not a round one, Schultz said.

The Taper’s downtown, limited-access location created another interesting facet of the renovation process: how to quickly and efficiently install rooftop equipment without the use of a crane. On a Saturday morning last October, a helicopter lifted more than six tons of air conditioning units––a few the size of a stretch limousine––and other electrical and roofing supplies onto the Taper roof. The helicopter flew a total of 62 lifts in 59 minutes, and was captured on a YouTube video.

“We had no room for a crane and time was of the essence,” says Terry Bottorff, Taisei’s senior project manager. “We closed off Hope Street and everything was pre-rigged. We planned the lift six months in advance.”

Bottorff said that even if space existed for a crane, “using one would have taken at least a week to complete all the lifts.”

The Music Center/Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County secured more than $22 million to fund the project and received additional support from the County of Los Angeles, foundation grants and private donors.

“There’s a lot of excitement and the theater group is thrilled,” Sherman says. “Now we can have bigger shows with more production values.”

The forum is set to reopen with The House of Blue Leaves performance by the Center Theatre Group Aug. 30. The Center Theatre Group is Los Angeles’ theater company.
Bottorff, a 40-year veteran of the construction industry, says the Taper renovation is easily one of his favorites.

“This is one of those projects that when you’re done with it, you say, ‘Look what we’ve created,’ ” he says. 

“It’s just amazing what has happened to the building. To be able to keep the historical integrity of the building with the abalone walls and what we accomplished on the inside is just amazing. I had the best team in the world on my staff at Taisei.”