A preferred location for the proposed downtown Greensboro Performing Arts Center has been announced and the design has been revealed. This is the design plan for a $41 million, 3,200-seat theater on a block bound by North Elm and Lindsay streets. It would be the largest performing arts center in the Carolinas. Other downtown locations are still being considered but It appears the North Elm site a block north of Center-City Park is the preferred location and for good reason. The city's largest parking deck, which is 8-stories, is located on the opposite corner of the site. The site is also surrounded by some of the office towers. The design is impressive and its a nice to see a contemporary design. Much of whats been built in downtown Greensboro over the last several years have been early 20th century retro designs. The downtown PAC would replace the aging War Memorial Auditorium at the Greensboro Coliseum locate a few miles west of the proposed downtown site.
This facility would have 700 more seats than the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts in Philadelphia. It would have 1,100 more seats than the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center in uptown Charlotte. GPAC would have a curtain system that can transform the space into a 1,500-seat theater for smaller events. Even though this would be downtown, I'm glad coliseum director Matt Brown and his staff will be running this venue. He has a track record of luring big events to the Greensboro Coliseum. The performing arts center will host major Broadway productions, famous music artists/concerts, traveling shows such as cirque du soleil and Spiderman, Greensboro orchestra, and more
http://www.news-record.com/content/2...signs_unveiled
courtesy of the city of Greensboro
see floor plans and more renderings here
http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/modules...cumentid=15278
Comparison with the Durham Performing Arts Center which opened several years ago.
Total seat count (Greensboro) 3,205
Total seat count (Durham) 2,741
seats in orchestra pit (Greensboro) 42
seats in orchestra pit (Durham) 29
orchestra level seats (Greensboro) 2,642
orchestra level seats (Durham) 1,391
first balcony (Greensboro) 521
first balcony (Durham) 519
lobby area (Greensboro) 24,650 Sq Ft
lobby area (Durham) 17,125 Sq Ft
total stage width (Greensboro) 120 Ft
total stage width (Durham) 114 Ft