Warner Grand in San Pedro opens for one last look before a 2-year renovation begins

The historic Warner Grand Theatre hosts a final lobby walk-through for the public before restoration begins in downtown San Pedro on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

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It was the last chance — for now — to get a glimpse of the beloved downtown San Pedro landmark.

The Warner Grand Theatre, 478 W. Sixth St., will close for needed renovations and upgrades that are expected to take at least two years — with construction fencing set to go up on Wednesday, Dec. 18.

But on Tuesday, the theater opened for about 200 people, who got to stroll through the lobby and other areas for a final look at the historic movie palace that opened on Jan. 20, 1931. The city of Los Angeles purchased it in 1996.

The theater has become the centerpiece of the historic downtown district, and is used for concerts, film festivals, live performances and other events.

The 93-year-old theater has needed the infrastructure overhaul to continue operating safely and within code, Liz Schindler Johnson, president and executive director of the Grand Vision Foundation, said in a previous interview.

Without the renovations, Johnson said, “the theater could not continue to be open to the public.”

Much of the work will involve updating the plumbing and electrical systems, adding more bathrooms, installing elevators, upgrading the heating/air-conditioning/lighting/and fire systems and — “hopefully,” Johnson said — adding a “small rooftop deck and a special room off the lobby.”

Besides those upgrades, the work will include:

Restoring the historic ceilings, walls, columns, pilasters, flooring and railings.
Expanding the concession service.
Seismic retrofitting and upgrading the auditorium.

While the theater’s closure has already proven disruptive to the organizations that rely on it, Johnson said, the finished product will be worth it.

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“We have to keep our eyes on the prize,” she said.

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