Varsity Theater

Designed and built for Development Management Associates, this project is a 50,000-total-square-foot adaptive reuse conversion of a former one-room movie theater.

This project consists of an approximately 50,000 SF adaptive reuse conversion of a former one-room movie theater into a 35-unit apartment complex with first-floor retail space. The renovation required major structural and architectural modifications while maintaining key historic elements, including preservation of the original façade along Sherman Avenue.

A significant exterior scope included a large façade renovation with the installation of 50+ new windows and Juliet balconies, utilizing custom aluminum window systems to meet design and performance requirements. Interior construction included exposed ceilings in the retail areas and drywall ceilings in the residential units, with exposed vault ceilings at the penthouse level. Finishes include a combination of stained and polished concrete, engineered wood flooring, and ceramic flooring, along with ceramic wall tile in bathrooms.

Building systems were upgraded with efficient LED lighting and plumbing fixtures throughout both retail and residential spaces. The project includes installation of all-electric HVAC and plumbing systems, eliminating the use of natural gas for apartment service. The first-floor retail area was delivered as a whitebox shell, including black iron duct risers and all required utility sub-infrastructure for future tenant buildout.

Structural redesign was completed using an in-house engineering team, including reconfiguration of the existing steel podium structure to support light-gauge framing and wood trusses at the apartment levels, resulting in approximately $100,000 in client savings. Apartment finishes include ceramic tile at kitchens and bathrooms, custom laminate millwork, and quartz countertops. Preconstruction services included architectural and engineering coordination, permitting, MEP design, and full design-build delivery, with interior design services outsourced.