Opera House

The Opera House, built in 1932 with an annex added in 1976, is a historic landmark.  It is part of the San Francisco Civic Center, regarded by many scholars as the finest manifestation of the City Beautification movement in the United States.  While the seismic upgrade was the key priority, the closure of the House for the first time in its sixty-five year history provided an opportunity for crucial life-safety, facility and theatrical upgrades.

An 18-month construction schedule was established early on for the project. The infusion of additional private funds for improvements occurred at the mid-point of the seismic design phase.  An extension to the construction schedule was not granted since the San Francisco Opera Company had already made major financial commitments to openin in September of 1997, the year of the company’s 75th Diamond Jubilee.

The Opera House opened as scheduled with a nationally televised gala concert.  The project won a National Historical Preservation Society Annual Award.