San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theatre was originally built in 1922 as a vaudeville house, later became a movie theater, and then closed down from 1972-1979, at which time it reopened as a performing arts venue by SHN Productions. Since the theatre had not been renovated in approximately 35 years, it required an extensive update and refresh. The restoration by ELS Architecture began in 2017, and in the fall of 2018, the theatre reopened after its 13-month renovation. With Moorish architectural references, the design included a combination of new, repurposed and existing materials. Randall Lamb provided electrical engineering, plumbing engineering and HVAC oversight for this incredible project. Among the refurbishments are custom-designed light fixtures, enlarged restrooms and upgraded infrastructure. The theatre is in the midst of the Mid-Market neighborhood that is also undergoing a transformation the past few years.

Images courtesy of photographer, Kyle Jeffers