Renovations can prove challenging, even more so when the structure is architecturally expressed and completed modifications are left visible. The original design of the mostly underground theater envisioned that most patrons would enter from the adjacent underground parking garage. But the success of Millennium Park and adjacent neighborhood resulted in most attendees entering at street level. A more inviting vertical circulation and expansion of the lobby was desired. That meant new glass elevators, and reconfigured monumental stairways plying through the 82 foot-tall lobby with a below grade addition.

The concealed connections of the new precast required connecting to existing structure not originally designed for the connection. Intense and exhaustive field evaluation of existing elements was
performed to fit the new connections. Ultimately, the connections needed to once again be concealed, much more easily accomplished in new construction than renovation.

The elevators had their own challenges not only in penetrating through all levels of the precast floors, but also below the lowest level. The building is supported on deep foundations. So the elevator pits were hung from the existing caissons and grade beams. The downstairs lobby was expanded by 30%, in the same architectural manner of exposed precast concrete structure.

The resulting solutions met all of the structural and aesthetic challenges. The precast concrete is again the final finish. All the structural connections are visible, and exposed to view, available for inspection, if you can find them.