The Curator’s Corner
Theater Seat Replacement Project Completed!
Welcome to The Curator’s Corner. I am David Voelkel, Director of Historic Preservation and Chief Curator for The Byrd Theatre Foundation and writing to share with you some information on one of our recently completed projects – theater seat replacement!
How do you rehabilitate a 1,200-seat historic movie theater? One bite at a time, or in our case, in phases. Since 2018, the Byrd Theatre Foundation has been advancing, in three phases, the replacement of the 1928 American Seating Company theater seats following through on the requests from our patrons. This has been a mammoth effort for all involved and we wish to thank everyone who has supported the fundraising and worked to realize the plans for this critical project.
2025 has been a big year for us with the W. M. Davenport Family Balcony starting in January and completed in March, followed by the Reinhart Auditorium East and West side sections and ADA platforms starting in May and completed in September. We can now say, after three successful phases of work, that every seat has been renewed, while keeping the original cast iron end aisle standards, with wider seats and backs; originally 19” wide, now up to 24” wide, as well as wider aisles to allow for a more comfortable movie-going experience!
After a summer of hard work, The Byrd Theatre Foundation, working with Delta Graphic, Irwin Seating Company and general contractor Daniel & Company, and a host of subcontractors completed the replacement of the old 20th century theater seats in the two side sections of the main auditorium. This has completed the Pull Up A Seat campaign-funded work that had begun back in 2018. The impact on the auditorium cannot be fully expressed nor our thanks to our patrons and supporters whose gifts have funded the various phases of this project.
The side section work commenced with the careful de-installation of the original 1928 theater seats so we could retrofit the 1928 cast iron end aisle standards. The former red and gold paint scheme was replaced with a factory refinish that matched the original polychrome paint. The Harris Electric team disconnected the aisle lights in the end aisle standards allowing the crew from Junk Shuttle to complete the process of carefully removing and packing the end aisle standards.
The contractors removed for refinishing the 1928 cast iron HVAC mushroom caps, and subcontractors Drill Core LLC worked from the chalk marks mapped out by installers 360, to the plans provided by Delta Graphic and Irwin Seating Company, to relocate, giving us wider walkways in the aisles of seats while also matching the work completed in 2018 for the center section.
After protecting the 2018 center section seats, Lewis Brothers and their subcontractors prepared the concrete floors for the new dark red epoxy coating. Unlike the worn, painted concrete, the epoxy coating will be easier for the front-of-house staff to clean, and the sheen magnifies the available electric light in the space.
The staff at Delta Graphic have been supporting the overall project and advising us on the new theater seats for over a decade. As you may recall from earlier Curator’s Corner updates, the 2025 seats are wider than the 19” wide American Seating Company seats from 1928. These updated seats are designed to match the completed center section of the main auditorium and the completed balcony. Research and development have been underway for the past several years with various textile consultants on the viability of reproducing the original 1928 gold and crimson floral velvet seat back fabric.
Personally, I am most excited about the two new ADA compliant platforms and companion seating (additional companion seats to arrive in October) in the auditorium tripling the space provided by the first platform completed in 2018. The carpenters, electricians, and carpet installers, under the supervision of the staff, the general contractors, and other subcontractors, worked diligently on the construction and finishing of these two new elements to The Reinhart Auditorium. The board and staff are committed to access with dignity and this adjustment to the original layout brings great benefits to all. We welcome you to enjoy this space on your next visit to the Theatre.
The new seats, along with our 1928 end aisle standards, arrived and installation began in late August 2025. The bulk of the project was wrapped up in early September and we were able to welcome our patrons back into the main auditorium on the evening of Friday, September 5th. As with any large project with many moving parts, there are always small hiccups and delays but everyone on the team worked hard to complete the project so the Byrd Theatre would be ready for our fall programs and events – our sincere thanks to all who contributed to the success of this renovation project.
Everyone always asks me, “What is next?” and I can say that we are already focused on plans for the rehabilitation of our historic exterior.
About The Byrd Theatre Foundation
The Byrd Theatre Foundation owns and operates The Byrd Theatre. The Foundation was established in 2001 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with the mission to preserve the landmark Byrd Theatre while providing unique experiences for all.
David B. Voelkel
Director of Historic Preservation and Chief Curator
Irwin theater seats delivery and load in; 360 chalk marking aisles and seats, August 2025
The Reinhart Auditorium, Irwin theater seats installation of center supports, August 2025
The Reinhart Auditorium, Irwin theater seats installation of seat backs, August 2025
West Side new ADA platform, September 2025
The Reinhart Auditorium, Irwin theater seats installation completed, September 2025
