Best Project Cultural/Worship: Mesa Community College Performing Arts Center
Seeking a home for dance and musical events produced by students, Mesa Community College decided on a $11.5-million project that morphed a 26,000-sq-ft movie house into a 48,000-sq-ft performing arts center.
Begun in March 2013, the 19-month project reused approximately 75% of the existing movie theater, including walls, floors and roof for “back of house” components and classrooms. A 460-seat multipurpose theater acts as the new facility’s centerpiece. Other spaces include performance classrooms, solo and group music practice spaces, faculty offices and a performance lobby space. A new entry courtyard was created by removing the roof from one of the old theaters at the intersection of the new and existing structures.