San Diego Civic Theatre's future

👏 Congrats to Steve A., who recognized the exterior of downtown's San Diego Civic Theatre.

Driving the news: Designed by architect Lloyd Ruocco and opened in 1965, San Diego's home for touring Broadway shows is poised for a $7.5 million renovation.

• It was the site of the world premiere of "Top Gun: Maverick" and performances by legends like Frank Sinatra, Patti LaBelle, Luther Vandross, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan.

The intrigue: A new Civic Theatre was a central component of a proposed overhaul of the entire Civic Center area, including City Hall, that failed to generate developer interest.

• Mayor Todd Gloria then declared the redevelopment push over, amid budget constraints, but the Prebys Foundation is holding out hope for a project while paying to envision a new plan for Civic Center and the downtown area surrounding it.
• Theater leaders took their need for updated space into their own hands, paying for a new lobby and color scheme out of ticket fee revenue.