LINCOLN SQUARE — The restoration and expansion of the Davis Theater is at roughly the halfway point, with a recent discovery pushing back the reopening date from early to late summer, according to owner Tom Fencl.
As the construction crew cut into the canopy over the theater's entrance, "We went, 'Wow!'" Fencl said.
Terra cotta flourishes that had been hidden behind the Davis' canopy. [Tom Fencl]
Underneath: A tin tray ceiling and a continuation of the building's terra cotta facade. Light bulbs that once lit up the threshold were still in place.
"Why someone would hide so much beauty...," Fencl trailed off, at a loss for words.
As excited as Fencl was with the unexpected find, it also sent the project's architects, Ben Kennedy and Matthew Mann, back to the drawing board to design a new entrance around the vintage features.
Because the Davis has received national landmark status — which provides Fencl with tax breaks to help finance the $5 million renovation — the National Park Service has to approve any alterations to the architects' plans.
"It makes us stop and restart," Fencl said. "It can push the timeline by weeks. Part of our slowdown has been waiting for the National Park Service to come back with changes."
A hidden tin ceiling, with light bulbs still in place. Do they work? "We haven't found the switch," Fencl admitted. [DNAinfo/Patty Wetli]
Fencl estimated that the entire project — restoration and renovation of the theaters, plus the addition of the Carbon Arc restaurant and bar — is at the midway point, with a likely reopening in late summer.
"There's so much that can't be rushed," he said. "It's not like building a vanilla box."
Here's a look at the work in progress.
The Showcase Cinema
[DNAinfo/Patty Wetli]
The Davis' rear two theaters have been combined into a single auditorium, which will be the cinema's showpiece. The vaulted ceiling has been exposed, the plaster has been patched and Fencl has a restoration expert analyzing paint chips to be as true to the theater's original colors (hint: not blue-gray) as possible.
[DNAinfo/Patty Wetli]
For decades, drywall has covered much of the theater's original stylish design, just barely visible in sections that have been cut away. What appears to be a frame was fitted with fabric (a scrap hangs from the corner), which surrounded pleated drapes. Interior designer Faith Hurley is creating a modern version of the look, as much for acoustics as aesthetics.
"Fabrics were used to absorb sound," Fencl said, including bleed between theaters and echo.
As for the movie that will christen the new theater's screen, don't expect whatever blockbuster is sitting atop the box office charts come August (or thereabouts).
"The first show will probably be something not traditional," Fencl said.
"We know what the Davis opened with" 100 years ago, he teased.
Candy Factory
[DNAinfo/Patty Wetli]
OK, this takes some imagination, but picture a combined box office/concession area right about where the ladder is perched. That means no more standing outside in the rain/snow/heat while waiting to buy a ticket — which plenty of patrons will likely have bought in advance anyway, what with the New Davis offering assigned seats.
To the right of the center pillar, the wall has been knocked out to create an opening into Carbon Arc, the Davis' sister restaurant-bar.
Perhaps the most intriguing news about the concession area is that Fencl has reimagined it as part of the entertainment experience.
"We'll be making homemade caramel corn and cheese popcorn ... and many other fun flavors," all in full view of customers, he said.
For those who've ever been tempted to pop into the Davis just for a bucket of buttered popcorn, that will totally be encouraged.
Introducing Carbon Arc
[DNAinfo/Patty Wetli]
Here's what's been going on behind the butcher paper and plywood. Storefronts formerly occupied by La Bocca Della Verita and Ravenswood Used Books are being converted into the 16,000-square-foot Carbon Arc restaurant/bar.
An alley that separated the theater from the storefronts has been roofed over to create Carbon Arc's bar area, seen here. The cut-out on the right connects the bar to one of the Davis' secondary theaters and will be open to theater patrons for walk-up bar and food service during special viewing events, like, say, Cubs playoff games.
[DNAinfo/Patty Wetli]
Carbon Arc has been configured to serve a number of different purposes. Fencl anticipates that the room directly off the Davis' lobby, seen above, will be a place where patrons can grab a quick drink or bite before a show, or meet up with the rest of their party.
This lounge-type area leads into Carbon Arc's main dining room and a super-sized kitchen that's been built to accommodate a flood of customers few restaurants not attached to a 300-seat theater would ever experience.
"If a show lets out and 100 people are hungry ... we need to be able to move food quickly," Fencl said.
Ben Munro, formerly of The Grafton, is on board as an operating partner to oversee the kitchen and is in the process of interviewing chefs, Fencl said.
Drumroll Please ...
[DNAinfo/Patty Wetli]
We saved the best for last — witness the Davis' new bathrooms. Even under construction, these stalls-to-be are an upgrade over their predecessors, which had gained such an unsavory reputation that despite being woefully inadequate in number were still somehow underused.
"There was never a line for the bathrooms because people knew," Fencl said.
Related:
Behind the Davis Theater's Fake Ceiling, Its Former Grandeur Hides
Davis Theater Getting $4M Makeover: New Seats, Bar, Restaurant and More
The Davis Theater Restaurant Has a Name: What Is It, and What Does It Mean?
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