The first phase of a planned years-long renovation of the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall has largely been completed, city officials said.
Reopening in early March after a nearly two-year closure, the 60-year-old concert hall at 777 Ward Ave. underwent $10 million in interior upgrades to enhance the entertainment venue’s back-of-house facilities and equipment.
Those upgrades include a new cooling tower, new electrical system, walkway lighting, fire alarm system and new stage sprinkler system to meet current safety standards, the city said.
“We have new fire protection throughout the complex,” John Condrey, the city’s project manager, said Thursday during a media tour of the concert hall.
City officials said there are improved backstage facilities, such as cast dressing rooms for operas and large stage shows to use, along with an updated crew toilet and laundry facilities.
Moreover, the scenery and lighting rigging system were replaced entirely. The new rigging systems — manual and motorized — meet current industry and safety standards and improve capacity for industry stage production lighting, the city said.
The main stage proscenium and peripheral curtains were also replaced inside a concert hall that can seat more than 2,100 people per show, the city said.
The improvements, according to the city, also ensure compliance with Americans With Disabilities Act requirements and Actors’ Guild standards.
The backstage improvements took 13 months to complete, while the above-stage rigging renovations were completed in 16 months, the city said.
Pacific Architects Inc. and WCIT Architecture designed the back-of-house project, while Pacific Architects designed the rigging replacement project in collaboration with Theatre Projects.
Ralph S. Inouye Co. Ltd. constructed the back-of-house project, and CC Engineering completed the rigging work in collaboration with Stagecraft Industries Inc., the city said.
All projects were managed by the city’s Department of Design and Construction.
Allyn Lee, with DDC’s mechanical and electrical division, said backstage equipment installation included a large black, wall-mounted electrical box meant to offer more power to touring companies visiting the venue.
“One of the things that we did was provide what we call the ‘company switch,’” he said, noting outside productions often bring in their own electrical, lighting and sound systems for shows. “And what they need is what we’ll call ‘short power.’ … The company switch allows them to plug in all of their electrical equipment here so they can run their own lights and their own sound systems.”
Lee said this particular project within the overall renovation had a design cost of about $60,000.
“And the construction cost is about $180,000 to put in this switch and all of the LED lighting that you see here today,” he added.
He said the replaced equipment “was obsolete.”
“It was original to the building,” Lee explained. “So we need to modernize this because the shows and their equipment are all up to date, so we need to match our equipment to their equipment.”
Dita Holifield, city enterprise services director, said completing this portion of the renovation is an “exciting moment” for the city.
She noted the work paves the way for the pending arrival of “Broadway in Hawaii” shows expected to perform at the venue later this year.
Among them the season will include April’s “Tina — The Tina Turner Musical”; “Six,” about the many wives of the notorious king of England Henry VIII, to start in June; and the iconic Broadway show “Chicago,” which is scheduled for December.
She added that the concert hall improvements — especially to the backstage area of the concert hall — will invariably “bring larger acts” to Oahu.
“We have to give them a first-class, red-carpet, white-glove treatment,” Holifield said.
In a statement, Mayor Rick Blangiardi agreed.
“This project is an investment that speaks volumes about our exuberant commitment to performing arts in Hawaii,” the mayor said. “It is also a loud and enthusiastic invitation to productions, acts, and shows from around the world to come to Honolulu to perform at our world-class venue, and to create joy and memories for the residents of our great city.”
In 2027 the venue is expected to close once again — this time for 14 months for front-of-house renovations.
Those plans call for the remodeling and raising of bathrooms on either side of the concert hall’s entrance to lobby level, adding more toilets, and other interior redesigns, the city said.
Plans for the concert hall’s exterior renovations also will continue.
According to Condrey, the exterior work will cost about $11 million, while new landscaping around the building will cost roughly $3 million.
As far as the exterior work is concerned, he said, “The first half of it, we have the funds, but we’re looking to see if the second half is approved in the upcoming” fiscal year 2026 city budget.
“The last piece of the $11 million is in the current budget before (the Honolulu City Council),” he added.
There will be no major changes to the facade and exterior of the Concert Hall, he noted.
“The building is sound,” Condrey asserted. “There’s no reason to touch it; it’s got a great look, so there’s no desire to change it.”
The Blaisdell Center, originally called the Honolulu International Center, was built in 1964.
