Upcoming Valley Performing Arts Center At CSUN

The highly anticipated, LEED Silver certified Valley Performing Arts Center at Cal State Northridge is nearing completion. The Center is set to be the cultural and artistic hub of the San Fernando Valley, whose residents have historically been underserved when it comes to Broadway, theater, and symphony performances. Opening in January 2011, the $125 million facility was designed by Minneapolis architectural firm Hammel, Green and Abrahamson and includes a 1,700-seat concert hall, a 175-seat black box theatre, a 230-seat lecture room, and a radio broadcast studio for KCSN public radio.

The Center was built with a mix of private and public funding. The LA Times reports: "Gailya Brown, senior director of the campaign, said Tuesday that about $24.5 million has been raised so far toward a goal of $50 million. The other $75 million for the steel-framed, glass-paneled building comes from a state bond issue and other non-local government sources."

On November 1, the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra will give a performance in the Great Hall (open to CSUN's Plaza Del Sol Fall Season subscribers), allowing the Center to put the finishing "tuning" touches on the hall's adjustable acoustic panels. The Valley Performing Arts Center will be inaugurated on January 29, 2011 with a Gala that aims to raise $1 million toward the overall $50 million goal (with tickets starting at $1,000). Regular performances start in February 2011.