the concert hall's closing

Downtown's biggest stage is going quiet this summer.

The Alaska Center for the Performing Arts is finally getting a full modernization. The big Atwood Concert Hall closes down while crews get to work. It's the first major refresh that building's had in a long time.

They're swapping out the original elevators from the eighties. There's a new fire safety system going in too. And the inside of Atwood gets real upgrades while the seats are empty.

If you've ever caught the Nutcracker downtown, or a graduation, or a concert, that's the spot. It's been the heart of downtown shows since the late eighties. So a lot of us have a memory or two inside those doors.

Closing the main hall for a summer stings a little. But it's way overdue, and it keeps the place safe for the next forty years. Anyone who takes their kids to a show downtown will feel this one.

Crews are starting the work right now while the calendar's light. So expect the lobby buzzing with hard hats instead of dancers for a bit.