Abravanel Hall Must be Saved

Following the announcement that Abravanel Hall might be demolished, I wrote this which was published in the Salt Lake Tribune:

Abravanel Hall and the Hockey-Monster

The new NHL franchise in Salt Lake City could be a great boost to downtown. Unfortunately, the plans are a big secret instead of the timely public airing it should be. 

Perhaps the secrecy has roots in the reason the team is leaving Arizona. There, a big public drama over funding a new arena ended with a spectacular rejection by the voters in Tempe. No such drama awaits the team here, unless…some ill-informed person tries to destroy the iconic Abravanel Hall. 

The building was ambitious for a small city in 1979 – a single-minded gift to concert music, not a mish-mash intended for opera, ballet and theater. This allows it to enjoy the sight lines, acoustics and spatial magic that enhance the big-sound interior. The golden staircase and red glass Chihuly (2002) sculpture grab the viewer from the outside. Inside you are transported to a much more sophisticated city – the lobby glass reflects the nearby monuments, as well as city lights and movement.  The experience of entering, gliding up the grand staircase, and looking down and out to the city is truly unique. 

Even thinking about destroying this work of love, ambition, and art that anchors our city raises the ire of so many. A replacement hall would take years to build and would likely have inferior acoustics and insensitive siting.