Milwaukee Theatre Renovation

Construction team gives Milwaukee Theatre an encore

By Rebecca R. Konya

When construction crews began work on the Milwaukee Theatre renovation in the spring of 2002, it was quickly discovered that the nearly 100-year-old building's wood-pile foundation system had badly deteriorated.

Replacing the wooden piles with drilled-steel, concrete-filled piles delayed the construction schedule by three months. As if the foundation problems weren't bad enough, abatement, extreme temperatures and difficulty coordinating equipment and manpower required construction crews to scrap the original 17-month schedule.

Working on a condensed schedule, 62 percent of the project was completed during the final four months of construction.

"We worked two shifts and weekends," said Michael McNamee, who served as the onsite project executive for GPD|Gilbane during the renovation. "We had 240 workers on site each day."

McNamee said the November 2003 completion date couldn't be pushed because the Milwaukee Theatre had already lined up several performances.

The renovation project completely reconfigured the historic Milwaukee Auditorium, originally built in 1909. Essentially, an entirely new venue was created within the walls of the existing building in order to provide superior accommodations for both productions and patrons. The facility continues to serve its historical uses for convention, corporate and civic assemblies as well as concerts and theatrical productions.

"We gutted the whole inside," said McNamee of the renovation project.

The former 12,000-seat amphitheater was converted into the largest and foremost theatrical assembly in the state.

The radical transformation of the main performance hall created sloped seating in two tiers and a grand, half-domed rotunda lobby. It also greatly expanded stage, backstage and public circulation spaces. With seating capacity for 4,100, the Milwaukee Theatre offers excellent sightlines and superior comfort for audience members.

Scott Beglinger of IBC Engineering Services Inc., which served as project manager for theater engineering, said the Wisconsin Center District initiated the renovation because the existing facility couldn't accommodate the type of venues it wanted to host.

"They couldn't use it the way it was," he said.

	Project Name: Milwaukee Theatre Renovation Location: Milwaukee Submitting Companies: GPD|Gilbane, Milwaukee, and IBC Engineering Services Inc., Waukesha General Contractor/Construction Manager: GPD|Gilbane, Grunau/Hunt, Milwaukee Architect: VOA Associates Inc., Chicago Engineer: IBC Engineering Inc. Owner: Wisconsin Center District, Milwaukee Project Cost: $41 million Start Date: May 2002 Completion Date: November 2003

The new theater features stunning architecture, including a new grand entry court set between the existing entry and the U.S. Cellular Arena. The existing entry was then transformed into a covered garden terrace, accessible from the main rotunda. Twinkling Tivoli lighting adds a festive atmosphere to the building's exterior, making every night look like opening night.

In addition to new architectural elements, the public lobby areas were gently reshaped to enhance the arrival experience of theater patrons, and the back-of-the-house spaces were expanded to help simplify move-in and technical requirements for staff, technical personnel and performers.

Renovating the interior of the theater into a completely new venue presented one of the toughest challenges of the project, said McNamee. He said a tremendous amount of onsite coordination was needed to ensure safety and productivity at all times.