Billie Holiday, James Brown, Lauryn Hill, Aretha Franklin: The list of legends who performed at Harlem’s Apollo Theater is seemingly endless. The Apollo’s physical location on New York’s 125th Street just turned 90 years old this year, after opening in 1914.
Now, Beyer Blinder Belle is carrying out the first full-scale restoration, renovation, and modernization of the iconic venue. Charcoalblue, Flyleaf Creative, and Higgins Quasebarth & Partners are consultants on the project.
The restoration is part of the Apollo Rising 2.0 Capital Campaign which seeks to modernize the historic locale. The theater started as a venue for burlesque performances. It was designed by architect George Keister and is a landmarked building in the city of New York, best known for its cultural contribution and neoclassical style. The motifs and patterns of its exterior balcony and the fluted columns impised on its facade were continued inside.
The most noticeable change to Apollo Theater will be to its lobby, often described as being long and narrow. It double in size and be sheathed in glass so as to be more visually open from the outdoors.
The Wall of Fame, a display of all the star performers and musicians who have played at the venue over the years, will be digitized. A new interactive visual component will exhibit photography from Apollo Theater’s archives. Outside, the Apollo Theater’s famous marquee sign will be lit anew with new LEDs.
There will also be a new and improved bar, cafe and retail space that can host a variety of functions, like community gatherings. Twenty-nine more seats will be added to the orchestra floor, and seats on the balcony and mezzanine level will be refurbished.
“Evoking the spirit and classical detail of the Theater in the 1930s when it became the iconic Apollo as it is known today, these upgrades are derived from the same historic materials, including its decorative plaster and terrazzo, but transfused with contemporary design,” said Christopher Cowan, principal at Beyer Blinder Belle.
“The repairs and restorations will enhance accessibility, lighting, and mechanical systems in a way that takes preservation into account, but also revitalizes its entire elements,” Cowan continued. “New seating and acoustical panels will allow the auditorium space to operate better for audiences and artists alike.”
“While ushering us into our next chapter, the changes we are making to the Historic Theater also honor the rich legacy and the creative magic that courses through the theater and pay homage to the many legends who have been propelled into stardom by The Apollo,” Michelle Ebanks, Apollo president and CEO added. “After 90 years, we are ensuring that The Apollo is well-equipped to serve the next generations of artists and audiences alike for the next century.”
Construction is slated for completion in spring 2026.
