Granada Theater

Location: Morgan Hill, CA

Year: Completed in 2016

The Historic Granada theater was built in 1940 in a modified moderne style. Constructed of masonry the building provided a place for live theater as well as films in a wide open space. Over the years, in an effort to make it more viable, the theater space was divided into two spaces by a full height central wall creating two small theaters. The theater operated until 2005 when it was sold to a developer who left it vacant for 10 years..

The challenge in 2015 was to save this historic landmark that was slated for demolition in the downtown.

Next door to the theater was a shop that had operated as a cigar and wine shop. The two buildings were divided by a masonry wall. The design was challenging in the structural integration of the two spaces to create a full service theater, banquet space and associated bar and restaurant kitchen and the overall structural retrofit and accessibility design for the main hall space.

The interior floor was raised up to two feet in some areas to meet accessibility and the restrooms were redesigned to accommodate accessibility while retaining some of the original quirky layout. A fun and challenging project, we are thankful that Frank Leal purchased the building and went all in on the redesign and retrofit as well as keeping a renovated GRANADA sign and the wonderful curved entry at the transition to the sidewalk as well as enhancing the lobby.

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