The renovation of the iconic Brooklyn Paramount Theater restored the building to its original purpose as a movie theater and music performance venue. Long Island University had acquired the venue in the 1960s and repurposed it as the school’s basketball court.
The recently completed restoration preserved historical features while adapting to modern needs. Opened in 1928, the theater was renowned for hosting the world's first talking movies and showcasing legendary musical performers like Buddy Holly & The Crickets, Chuck Berry, Duke Ellington, and Ella Fitzgerald. Redesigned for owner Live Nation, it now accommodates contemporary artists while paying homage to its storied past.
Designed by Arcadis, the renovation incorporated a comprehensive marquee redesign, drawing inspiration from the original structure. The intricately designed ceiling was constructed with plaster, with special attention given to ensure its structural stability so that it is capable of withstanding intense bass vibrations of concerts. Collaborating with a lighting designer, the team illuminated the upper plaster dome, transforming it into a beautiful canvas enveloping the space in colored light to enhance the concert experience.
New life for Brooklyn Paramount Theater
By examining the venue’s original design and historical drawings from the 1920s, the design team salvaged intricate details and restored original architecture altered over the past century. The ticket lobby has been reimagined to align with modern aesthetics and security standards.
Upon entering the 2,700-capacity music hall, patrons are greeted by the featured bar before they encounter a sloped floor designed for optimal viewing. Old classrooms on the upper balcony were turned into mechanical areas to provide the space with modern comfort. The balcony’s original rococo columns with a colonnade, signaling the top of the venue, were replicated.
The second-level balcony boasts exclusive boxes and “Ella's VIP lounge,” paying homage to Fitzgerald's iconic performances in the 1950s. The intimate atmosphere of the VIP lounge showcases a small stage wrapped in a warm burnt-red drape. Over four dozen glistening gold disco balls add an additional level of sparkle to the space to set it apart from the rest of the venue.
Owner and/or developer: Live Nation / Long Island University
Design architect: Arcadis
Architect of record: Arcadis
MEP engineer: Highland Associates
Structural engineer: Thornton Tomasetti
General contractor/construction manager: Schimenti Construction Company
Related Stories
| Aug 11, 2010
Curtain rises on Broadway's first green theater
The Durst Organization and Bank of America have opened New York's first LEED-certified theater, the 1,055-seat Henry Miller's Theatre. Located inside the new 55-story Bank of America Tower at One Bryant Park, the 50,000-sf theater is located behind the preserved and restored neo-Georgian façade of the original 1918 theater.
| Aug 11, 2010
Restoration gives new life to New Formalism icon
The $30 million upgrade, restoration, and expansion of the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles was completed by the team of Rios Clementi Hale Studios (architect), Harley Ellis Devereaux (executive architect/MEP), KPFF (structural engineer), and Taisei Construction (GC). Work on the Welton Becket-designed 1967 complex included an overhaul of the auditorium, lighting, and acoustics.
| Aug 11, 2010
Concrete Solutions
About five or six years ago, officials at the University of California at Berkeley came to the conclusion that they needed to build a proper home for the university's collection of 900,000 rare Chinese, Japanese, and Korean books and materials. East Asian studies is an important curriculum at Berkeley, with more than 70 scholars teaching some 200 courses devoted to the topic, and Berkeley's pro...
| Aug 11, 2010
Piano's 'Flying Carpet'
Italian architect Renzo Piano refers to his $294 million, 264,000-sf Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago as a “temple of light.” That's all well and good, but how did Piano and the engineers from London-based Arup create an almost entirely naturally lit interior while still protecting the priceless works of art in the Institute's third-floor galleries from dangerous ultravio...
Cultural Facilities | Aug 11, 2010
12 major trends in library design
Many academic planners assumed that the coming of the Internet would lead to the decline of the library as we know it. To the contrary, many academic libraries have experienced significantly increased patron use in recent years.
| Aug 11, 2010
Bronze Award: John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, Ill.
To complete the $55 million renovation of the historic John G. Shedd Aquarium in the allotted 17-month schedule, the Building Team had to move fast to renovate and update exhibit and back-of-house maintenance spaces, expand the visitor group holding area, upgrade the mechanical systems, and construct a single-story steel structure on top of the existing oceanarium to accommodate staff office sp...
| Aug 11, 2010
Great Solutions: Green Building
27. Next-Generation Green Roofs Sprout up in New York New York is not particularly known for its green roofs, but two recent projects may put the Big Apple on the map. In spring 2010, the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts will debut one of the nation's first fully walkable green roofs. Located across from the Juilliard School in Lincoln Center's North Plaza, Illumination Lawn will consist ...
| Aug 11, 2010
Idea Center at Playhouse Square: A better idea
Through a unique partnership between a public media organization and a performing arts/education entity, a historic building in the heart of downtown Cleveland has been renovated as a model of sustainability and architectural innovation. Playhouse Square, which had been working for more than 30 years to revitalize the city's arts district, teamed up with ideastream, a newly formed media group t...
| Aug 11, 2010
Divine intervention
Designed by H. H. Richardson in the 1870s to serve the city's burgeoning Back Bay neighborhood, Trinity Church in the City of Boston would come to represent the essence of the Richardsonian Romanesque style, with its clay tile roof, abundant use of polychromy, rough-faced stone, heavy arches, and massive size.
| Aug 11, 2010
Dream Fields, Lone Star Style
How important are athletic programs to U.S. school districts? Here's one leading indicator: In 2005, the National Football League sold 17 million tickets. That same year, America's high schools sold an estimated 225 million tickets to football games, according to the American Football Coaches Association.
