A historic movie theater becomes a boutique event venue in the heart of downtown Hillsdale.
Located in downtown Hillsdale, Michigan, the Dawn Theater has been a staple in the community since 1919. The building’s uses have evolved over time—from its original use as a vaudeville and silent movie theater to a nightclub and music venue—and various modifications to support each use obscured the many distinguishing details of this downtown gem. After years of disrepair, the Hillsdale Tax Increment Finance Authority purchased the historic theater with the intent of restoring the theater and making it a community institution once again.
From stencils to theater chairs, the details abound.
At Studio GWA, we tend to think that preservation and reuse projects require us to be both architects and archaeologists, so to speak, as we uncover original features and incorporate them into the plans. The Dawn Theater was no different. Investigative demolition revealed historic stenciling patterns that were original to the 1919 building and begging to be brought back to life. We recreated the stenciling with an updated palette of neutral tones with navy accents that can coordinate easily with a variety of events.
