LUBBOCK, Texas, March 1, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A
state-of-the-art venue, the Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and
Sciences, has opened in Lubbock,
Texas. Totaling 220,000 square feet, the hall – the first of
its size and type in the region – was planned and designed by
internationally recognized theatre design firm, Schuler Shook, architectural firms Diamond
Schmitt Architects, Parkhill, and MWM Architects, along with
acoustician Jaffe Holden.
Located in the heart of Downtown
Lubbock, Buddy Holly Hall offers unique arts and
entertainment experiences to a growing city, and a home for both
top-tier and emerging artists. It is the largest performing arts
center within 100 miles of Lubbock.
The dynamic venue features two notable theatres, an expandable
lobby and a multipurpose, divisible event room, all of which can be
programmed simultaneously. The newly opened venue has partnered
with community users and includes a 22,000-square-foot dance
center, home to Ballet Lubbock, and the 2,000-square-foot Rave On
restaurant, now open to the public.
Lubbock, a multi-county
economic, educational and health-care hub, is located at the
southern end of the High Plains region. It is home to public
research institution, Texas Tech
University.
"This is a significant facility for Lubbock and the entire region, and I can
personally attest that it's been a local dream for decades," said
Schuler Shook Partner, Jack Hagler, a Texas Tech
University alumnus. "Located in a city with four
universities and colleges, it made sense to have this space offer
plenty of 'flexible' space to accommodate the classical arts as
well as popular music and performance. We worked hand-in-hand with
the architects to make this a venue that will attract users from
across the state and country."
The project team developed the 2,297-seat Helen DeVitt Jones
Theatre, with a removable 600-fixed-seat orchestra section that
converts to flat-floor general admission standing for 900, lifts
and rigging systems, and more. In addition, Buddy Holly Hall's
smaller, more intimate space, the 415-person Crickets Theater
(named for the late musician's band), features standing room areas,
a stage for community use, an acoustic curtain, ceiling and wall
system, performance lighting, and an automated rigging system,
among other features designed by Schuler
Shook.
Additional facility highlights include a 6,000-square-foot,
subdividable multipurpose room, the 22,000-square-foot Ballet
Lubbock Pre-Professional Academy, the restaurant, a
2,500-square-foot commercial kitchen, and the Christine DeVitt
Lobby featuring a unique spiral staircase, as well as ample
backstage areas.
The project was developed by Garfield
Public/Private LLC and is owned by the Lubbock Entertainment
and Performing Arts Association (LEPAA).
"Schuler Shook's work alongside
this impressive project team allowed us to realize our vision of
creating a highly desirable arts center for the city and our entire
region of West Texas," said
Tim Collins, board chairman of
LEPAA. "Our venue no doubt stimulates our local economy and brings
a decades' old concept to fruition. We can't wait to see what's in
store for the community."
Schuler Shook conducted a series
of feasibility studies, along with Webb Management Services, to
identify performance venues appropriate for the desired
programming. The firm's consensus was that the hall demanded a
footprint that could accommodate popular acts (country, rock, pop,
comedy, etc.), as well as Broadway productions, resident tenant
Ballet Lubbock, and Lubbock Symphony Orchestra.
In addition, Schuler Shook was
responsible for integrating the hall's numerous technical systems –
which includes an orchestra area that can convert from tiered fixed
seating to flat floor.
"In everything from feasibility studies and facility conceptual
design, to design mockups and custom equipment designs, our team
was closely involved in the creation of this remarkable project for
Lubbock," said Schuler Shook Partner, Kimberly Corbett Oates. "There is no other venue
like this in the area, and, coupled with the nearby visual arts
district, its current setup allows for daytime and evening
engagement – bringing it 'closer' to the community."
Buddy Holly Hall is hosting live performance events at reduced
capacity, including Steve Trevino's
"I Speak Wife Tour," held Jan. 30,
2021, Lubbock Symphony Orchestra's presentation of "Peter
and the Wolf" (Feb. 27, 2021), and
other live performances.
Demolition of the site's former use (DPS Building) began in
December 2014. LEPAA officially broke
ground on April 20, 2017, with
general contractor Lee Lewis Construction. Construction was
completed in January 2021.
About Schuler Shook
Schuler Shook is an internationally
recognized design firm that has earned a reputation for theatre
planning and architectural lighting design. Its work ranges from
epic to intimate, transcendent to practical, and across all project
types on nearly every continent. What unites Schuler Shook's work across its disciplines is a
collaborative spirit and a commitment to compelling, innovative and
sensitive designs distinctly and masterfully tailored to the needs
of the project. Schuler Shook has
offices across the U.S., including Dallas, Chicago, Minneapolis, San Francisco Bay and
New York, as well as in
Melbourne, Australia. For more
information, head to: schulershook.com.
About LEPAA
Lubbock Entertainment and Performing Arts Association, a 501 (c)(3)
nonprofit, raised funds to design and construct Lubbock's Buddy
Holly Hall. LEPAA is dedicated to enriching the spirit of those who
live in Lubbock and the South Plains through the presentation of
the highest quality local, national and international
entertainment, performing arts and arts education. In addition to
its oversight of the finest performing arts events, LEPAA envisions
educational and community programs that will support, enhance and
expand appreciation for the arts, culture, music, history and
heritage of the South Plains. Its partnerships with Lubbock
Independent School District, Ballet Lubbock, Lubbock Symphony
Orchestra, The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation and others allow
the organization to ensure arts education remains a priority for
students of all ages. For more information, visit:
http://www.lepaa.org.
About Garfield Public/Private
LLC
Garfield Public/Private LLC is a
national development services provider focusing exclusively on
public and public/private developments, including performing arts
centers. The company uses innovative and cost-effective financing
solutions tailored to the requirements of its clients. Garfield
employs a "turnkey" delivery method that minimizes client risk and
administrative burden, maximizes transparency and accountability,
and enables "fast track" delivery of high-quality facilities months
or even years ahead of when otherwise thought possible.
Garfield Public/Private and its
executives have developed more than 20 million square feet of all
property types nationally and abroad and have financed more than
$7 billion in debt and equity. Its
performing arts development experience also includes the Durham
Performing Arts Center (DPAC) in Durham,
N.C., and the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater in
Salt Lake City, Utah. For more
information, visit: garfieldpublicprivate.com.
Media Contact
Dan Gunderman, Violet PR,
646-586-9931, dan@violetpr.com
SOURCE Schuler Shook