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Historic Landmarks Commission supports Lobero Theater addition concept and forwards project to Planning Commission
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Summary
After an extensive presentation and detailed design feedback, the commission supported compatibility and height findings for the Lobero Theater addition (roughly 10,800 sq ft with rooftop terrace), asked for further refinement on windows and cornices, debated story poles and stormwater technical issues, and voted unanimously to forward the project to the Planning Commission with comments.
The Historic Landmarks Commission on Jan. 28 reviewed a revised concept for a three-story addition to the Lobero Theater at 33 East Canon Perdido Street and voted unanimously to forward the revised concept to the Planning Commission for formal review, with the commission's design comments appended.
DesignArc representatives and the Lobero design team described changes since their prior concept: a reduction of about 4,000 square feet compared with the earlier scheme, reconfigured massing, a 27-foot setback on one elevation, elimination of some balconies and trellis elements, relocation of the primary entry toward the west and the decision to remove the basement as a value-engineering measure. The project team characterized the addition at roughly 10,800 square feet with a second-floor banquet hall, backstage and service spaces on the first floor, and a smaller rooftop terrace and bar area atop the third level.
"We reduced the project by about 4,000 square feet from our first conceptual plan," Mark Shields (DesignArc) told commissioners, describing the team's intent to make the addition more diminutive and respectful of the original theater massing. The design team also said they simplified a previously proposed arched view window to a narrower, squared opening so it would not compete with the theater's iconic arched stage door.
Commission comments were broadly favorable but detailed. Commissioners praised pulling the addition back from the street and the simplified massing while asking for further study of window proportions, cornice and molding proportions, and several elevation refinements to make the addition clearly differentiated yet sympathetic to George Washington Smith's original design. Several commissioners urged the project team to present precedent studies (existing cornices and window details) in the next submission.
Debate over public notice and visualization centered on story poles. Some commissioners, citing the building's prominence, favored story poles to provide the public a clear three-dimensional sense of height and massing; others argued the provided massing models and renderings were sufficient and suggested alternative public-notice strategies (large public renderings, projection displays or banners) to inform community fundraising and outreach without the cost of full story poles.
The team also flagged a stormwater/Creeks Division issue: on-site detention and runoff upgrades could require substantial excavation near the historic foundations. The applicant said they had applied for a Creeks Division waiver that would limit stormwater upgrades to the new addition only; the design team and geotechnical consultants expressed concern that full detention requirements would be technically risky and very costly.
Commissioner Enzberg moved, and Vice Chair Ullie seconded, a motion to forward the project to the Planning Commission (recommendation for PDA/Planning Commission review) with the commission's comments about compatibility findings, the requested height finding (46 feet), further refinement of windows and cornice proportions, and continued study of the Paseo and landscape. The roll-call vote was unanimous, and staff will include the commission's comments in the Planning Commission packet.
