The $100 million renovation is the hall’s first major renovation in four decades. Polshek will add galleries, restaurants and impromptu performances areas to the facility. These are incorporated to make the hall a part of a larger evening experience, where people would meet, socialize and dine together.
The practice will attempt to restore the essence of the initial building through this renovation project, along with accommodating the current program needs. The original facade of the building, which flood natural light into the interior, will be restored. The stage for symphony concerts will be bumped out and the balconies and the auditorium’s orchestra level will be re-sloped. Seats will be replaced to meet current standards.
In January 1975, the Music Hall was recognized as a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The building was designed from the start with a dual purpose – to house musical activities in its central auditorium – and to organise industrial exhibitions in its side wings.
The construction phase will commence during the 2012-13 season and is slated for late 2013 completion. The 132-year-old building serves as the home for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Opera, May Festival Chorus, and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra.
