For 20 months, the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall was closed for a first phase of renovations, which focused mostly on improving safety for backstage crews and modernizing the facility.
The renovations to the Concert Hall, which was built 60 years ago, included updating the electric system, refurbishing the seats, replacing the curtains and more.
The improvements will “attract the largest and best and brightest in the nation to come to Hawaii” to perform at the Blaisdell Concert Hall, said Dita Holifield, the director for the Department of Enterprise Services. “We have to be able to give them a first-class, red-carpet, white-glove treatment.”
This year, Hawaii Symphony, Hawaii Opera, and three Broadway shows will perform at the Concert Hall. The following year will feature a similar lineup.
But in 2027, the Blaisdell Concert Hall will close for another 14 months in order to complete renovations to the front-of-house area, including updates to the bathrooms and concessions, which will improve the experience of attendees.
On Thursday, the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Design and Construction and the Department of Enterprise Services took journalists on a tour to see the completed renovations.
Come along with Spectrum News Hawaii, as we show you some of the upgrades.
Auditorium seats
(Spectrum News/Michelle Broder Van Dyke)
The 2,100 seats in the Concert Hall’s auditorium were refurbished, which included making sure each seat was in working order, and adding new padding and covers.
Stage curtains
The stage draperies — including the fire curtain, the main red velvet drapes and all the backstage drapery — were removed and replaced.
Backstage lighting
Energy-efficient LED lights replaced incandescent lighting fixtures in the backstage work area, which makes it safer for crews to use props. “The space is about twice as bright as it was,” said John Condrey, an architect with the DDC’s facilities division. It also reduced the electricity consumption of the Concert Hall by 15 kilowatts.
Electric lines and side lights
All of the electric lines that support the backstage lighting are new. The side lights, which create strong shadows and make performers appear three dimensional, were also replaced.
Theatrical rigging system
The newly improved system of ropes, pulleys and counterweights will allow crews to easily lift and lower scenery, curtains, lights and other stage equipment. Some of the system was also mechanized. The new system is very quiet and safer for crews, according to Condrey.
The company switch
The new “company switch” is a power distribution system that allows Broadway productions to plug in their own lighting and sound systems. For the company switch and the new LED lightning, the design cost $60,000 and the construction cost $180,000.
Dressing rooms
The cast and private dressing rooms were updated to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The lightning was replaced. The finishes are new and expected to last at least 50 years. Dampening material was added to the ceiling to improve the acoustics in the cast dressing room, since it is also used as a rehearsal room. The installation of Hollywood-style vanity mirrors with lights was delayed by shipping, but they are expected to arrive within the next few weeks.
Showers and toilets
New toilets and showers were also added to the dressing rooms, with partitions that go all the way to the ceiling. “One of the biggest changes is getting rid of gang showers and gang toilet rooms, so now they’re all individual,” said Condry.
Walkway and parking lot lighting
(Spectrum News/Michelle Broder Van Dyke)
On the exterior of the Blaisdell Concert Hall, the DDC also upgraded the lighting to enhance safety and security, and make the facility more attractive to concertgoers, according to Allyn Lee, program administrator and leader of DDC’s mechanical and electrical division. To improve the walkway lighting, outdated bollard lighting fixtures were replaced with brighter pole-mounted LED lighting fixtures. The walkway lighting design cost $91,000, and the construction cost $650,775.
To improve the parking lot lighting, old-fashioned light poles were replaced by modern light poles with brighter LED lighting fixtures. The parking lot lighting design cost $104,000, and the construction cost $1,876,000.
What’s next?
(Spectrum News/Michelle Broder Van Dyke)
While the Concert Hall remains open, DDC will begin work on the lawn, including updating the sprinkler system to be completely automated and replacing older palms. “When trees reach a certain age, companion trees are planted next to them,” said Condry. While Condry acknowledged concerns about coconut rhinoceros beetles destroying the new palms, he said “the trees are part of the site” and that they had created a management plan to ensure their longevity.
DDC will also make improvements to the Concert Hall’s facade, which includes adding more LED lighting that can also be colored.
When the Concert Hall is closed in 2027, DDC will begin work on the front-of-house area that concertgoers first enter when they arrive. These improvements will include replacing the broken glass “fish scale” pieces, makeovers for the concession stands and bar, remodeling and raising the bathrooms on either side of the entrance to lobby level, and adding more toilets, family toilets and nursing stations. The interior will also be remodeled to more accurately reflect its original grandeur, which entails removing the floor-to-ceiling mirrors that were put up in the 1980s and reinstalling artworks made by Bumpei Akaji in 1964 that are currently held in storage.
Michelle Broder Van Dyke covers the Hawaiian Islands for Spectrum News Hawaii. Email her at michelle.brodervandyke@charter.com.
