ORCHID FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION

Jury Comments: Winston Churchill once famously said: “We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us.” The rehabilitation of the North Park Theatre is an excellent example of how a building can transform a community. The 1928 theater has been reborn as a vibrant arts and entertainment venue. The theater serves as the focal point for renewed night life on University Avenue and has unified the existing cultural centers in the area. Its rehabilitation represents the culmination of years of planning and dedication by the business association, the community and the City of San Diego.

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the North Park Theatre has been reborn as a spectacular arts and entertainment venue. Built in 1928, the North Park Theatre stopped showing movies decades ago. Subsequently used for church services, the theater was purchased by the city in the late 1980s and had been vacant since 1989. Today, the theatre has been meticulously restored to Secretary of Interior standards while introducing modern amenities. It is the only theatre of its size in San Diego County (730 seats) that includes a movable orchestra pit, a fly loft, state-of-the-art lighting and sound equipment and facilities for rehearsals and meetings. The theatre`s original seats have been fully restored along with the original art deco detail throughout. Restoration of the North Park Theatre represents the culmination of years of planning and dedication by North Park Main Street (the business association), the North Park community, the City of San Diego, developer Bud Fischer.

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