Hi — I happened to look at the statistics box at the top, and I can fill in some of the blanks after all my research on this property: the building was designed by a very prominent local architect, Luther Lee Dougan – a lot of Dougan’s buildings have survived. The Guild was designed as a recital hall for the musicians renting studio space in the neighboring Studio Building, which accounts for its sweet acoustics. The two buildings are still on the books as a single property, though they stopped operating in tandem fairly early in their history.
The reason the Guild is a ‘reverse theater’ is that it originally shared an entrance with the Studio Building – – audience members entered at the rear of the auditorium and moved down toward the stage. The area that is now the lobby used to be the stage. Two small front rooms behind the current box office are labeled “chorus rooms” on the original plans.
The entrance was moved to 9th Street in the 40s, and a tiny, hall-like lobby was created where a men’s dressing room used to be. This is when the Guild became a ‘reverse theater.’ The stage and orchestra pit remained intact until the big renovation in 1956 turned the stage into the lobby and covered the pit (my conductor is dying to excavate it – – I’m not sure such a thing is possible on our budget). High, high above the lobby, above two layers of false ceiling (one vintage 1956, one vintage 1977ish), visible only from the top of the stairs near the entrance to the office space, the old fly rigging still hangs.
Thanks for the well wishes! We have a lot of community support behind us, and the building owner would like to see the place up and running again. We also have an amazing pro bono team on board, including Diloreto Architects, KPFF Consulting Engineers, PAE Engineers, Ball Janik and forensic architect Gary Olmon. The restrooms are, of course one of the trickiest parts of the project (though not the trickiest). The facilities taken out by Pastini took up a significant amount of the footage in the space now being used for their kitchen. The restrooms were in Pastini’s leasehold space, so they were entitled to take them out. The remodel of the Guild (if our lease offer is accepted) would include new restrooms.
Opera Theater Oregon (OTO) is preparing to submit a lease offer on The Guild which, if accepted, would restore the building and open the doors again in 2011 or 12 as a live venue/independent film house:
Yes – very upsetting. We’re looking into several other possibilities now.
Hi — I happened to look at the statistics box at the top, and I can fill in some of the blanks after all my research on this property: the building was designed by a very prominent local architect, Luther Lee Dougan – a lot of Dougan’s buildings have survived. The Guild was designed as a recital hall for the musicians renting studio space in the neighboring Studio Building, which accounts for its sweet acoustics. The two buildings are still on the books as a single property, though they stopped operating in tandem fairly early in their history.
The reason the Guild is a ‘reverse theater’ is that it originally shared an entrance with the Studio Building – – audience members entered at the rear of the auditorium and moved down toward the stage. The area that is now the lobby used to be the stage. Two small front rooms behind the current box office are labeled “chorus rooms” on the original plans.
The entrance was moved to 9th Street in the 40s, and a tiny, hall-like lobby was created where a men’s dressing room used to be. This is when the Guild became a ‘reverse theater.’ The stage and orchestra pit remained intact until the big renovation in 1956 turned the stage into the lobby and covered the pit (my conductor is dying to excavate it – – I’m not sure such a thing is possible on our budget). High, high above the lobby, above two layers of false ceiling (one vintage 1956, one vintage 1977ish), visible only from the top of the stairs near the entrance to the office space, the old fly rigging still hangs.
She’s a beaut, the Guild.
Thanks for the well wishes! We have a lot of community support behind us, and the building owner would like to see the place up and running again. We also have an amazing pro bono team on board, including Diloreto Architects, KPFF Consulting Engineers, PAE Engineers, Ball Janik and forensic architect Gary Olmon. The restrooms are, of course one of the trickiest parts of the project (though not the trickiest). The facilities taken out by Pastini took up a significant amount of the footage in the space now being used for their kitchen. The restrooms were in Pastini’s leasehold space, so they were entitled to take them out. The remodel of the Guild (if our lease offer is accepted) would include new restrooms.
Opera Theater Oregon (OTO) is preparing to submit a lease offer on The Guild which, if accepted, would restore the building and open the doors again in 2011 or 12 as a live venue/independent film house:
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I know a lot of people have wanted to set this gem of a theater back on its feet and running again. Hope to have good news soon!