A state-of-the-art venue, the Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences, has opened in Lubbock, Texas. Totaling 220,000 square feet, the hall – the first of its size and type in the region – was planned and designed by theatre design firm, Schuler Shook, architectural firms Diamond Schmitt Architects, Parkhill, and MWM Architects, along with acoustician Jaffe Holden.
Located in the heart of Downtown Lubbock, Buddy Holly Hall offers unique arts and entertainment experiences to a growing city, and a home for both top-tier and emerging artists. It is the largest performing arts center within 100 miles of Lubbock.
Helen DeVitt Jones Theater, Buddy Holly Hall. Photography credit: Casey Dunn
The dynamic venue features two notable theatres, an expandable lobby and a multipurpose, divisible event room, all of which can be programmed simultaneously. The newly opened venue has partnered with community users and includes a 22,000-square-foot dance center, home to Ballet Lubbock, and the 2,000-square-foot Rave On restaurant, now open to the public.
Lubbock, a multi-county economic, educational and health-care hub, is located at the southern end of the High Plains region. It is home to public research institution, Texas Tech University.
“This is a significant facility for Lubbock and the entire region, and I can personally attest that it’s been a local dream for decades,” said Schuler Shook Partner, Jack Hagler, a Texas Tech University alumnus. “Located in a city with four universities and colleges, it made sense to have this space offer plenty of ‘flexible’ space to accommodate the classical arts as well as popular music and performance. We worked hand-in-hand with the architects to make this a venue that will attract users from across the state and country.”
The project team developed the 2,297-seat Helen DeVitt Jones Theatre, with a removable 600-fixed-seat orchestra section that converts to flat-floor general admission standing for 900, lifts and rigging systems, and more. In addition, Buddy Holly Hall’s smaller, more intimate space, the 415-person Crickets Theater (named for the late musician’s band), features standing room areas, a stage for community use, an acoustic curtain, ceiling and wall system, performance lighting, and an automated rigging system, among other features designed by Schuler Shook.
Additional facility highlights include a 6,000-square-foot, subdividable multipurpose room, the 22,000-square-foot Ballet Lubbock Pre-Professional Academy, the restaurant, a 2,500-square-foot commercial kitchen, and the Christine DeVitt Lobby featuring a unique spiral staircase, as well as ample backstage areas.
Christine DeVitt Main Lobby, Buddy Holly Hall. Photography credit: Casey Dunn
The project was developed by Garfield Public/Private LLC and is owned by the Lubbock Entertainment and Performing Arts Association (LEPAA).
“Schuler Shook’s work alongside this impressive project team allowed us to realize our vision of creating a highly desirable arts center for the city and our entire region of West Texas,” said Tim Collins, board chairman of LEPAA. “Our venue no doubt stimulates our local economy and brings a decades’ old concept to fruition. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for the community.”
Schuler Shook conducted a series of feasibility studies, along with Webb Management Services, to identify performance venues appropriate for the desired programming. The firm’s consensus was that the hall demanded a footprint that could accommodate popular acts (country, rock, pop, comedy, etc.), as well as Broadway productions, resident tenant Ballet Lubbock, and Lubbock Symphony Orchestra.
In addition, Schuler Shook was responsible for integrating the hall’s numerous technical systems – which includes an orchestra area that can convert from tiered fixed seating to flat floor.
“In everything from feasibility studies and facility conceptual design, to design mockups and custom equipment designs, our team was closely involved in the creation of this remarkable project for Lubbock,” said Schuler Shook Partner, Kimberly Corbett Oates. “There is no other venue like this in the area, and, coupled with the nearby visual arts district, its current setup allows for daytime and evening engagement – bringing it ‘closer’ to the community.”
Buddy Holly Hall is hosting live performance events at reduced capacity, including Steve Trevino’s “I Speak Wife Tour,” held Jan. 30, 2021, Lubbock Symphony Orchestra’s presentation of “Peter and the Wolf” (Feb. 27, 2021), and other live performances.
Demolition of the site’s former use (DPS Building) began in December 2014. LEPAA officially broke ground on April 20, 2017, with general contractor Lee Lewis Construction. Construction was completed in January 2021.
About Schuler Shook
Schuler Shook is an internationally recognized design firm that has earned a reputation for theatre planning and architectural lighting design. Its work ranges from epic to intimate, transcendent to practical, and across all project types on nearly every continent. What unites Schuler Shook’s work across its disciplines is a collaborative spirit and a commitment to compelling, innovative and sensitive designs distinctly and masterfully tailored to the needs of the project. Schuler Shook has offices across the U.S., including Dallas, Chicago, Minneapolis, San Francisco Bay and New York, as well as in Melbourne, Australia. For more information, head to: schulershook.com.
About LEPAA
Lubbock Entertainment and Performing Arts Association, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, raised funds to design and construct Lubbock’s Buddy Holly Hall. LEPAA is dedicated to enriching the spirit of those who live in Lubbock and the South Plains through the presentation of the highest quality local, national and international entertainment, performing arts and arts education. In addition to its oversight of the finest performing arts events, LEPAA envisions educational and community programs that will support, enhance and expand appreciation for the arts, culture, music, history and heritage of the South Plains. Its partnerships with Lubbock Independent School District, Ballet Lubbock, Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation and others allow the organization to ensure arts education remains a priority for students of all ages. For more information, visit: www.lepaa.org.
About Garfield Public/Private LLC
Garfield Public/Private LLC is a national development services provider focusing exclusively on public and public/private developments, including performing arts centers. The company uses innovative and cost-effective financing solutions tailored to the requirements of its clients. Garfield employs a “turnkey” delivery method that minimizes client risk and administrative burden, maximizes transparency and accountability, and enables “fast track” delivery of high-quality facilities months or even years ahead of when otherwise thought possible. Garfield Public/Private and its executives have developed more than 20 million square feet of all property types nationally and abroad and have financed more than $7 billion in debt and equity. Its performing arts development experience also includes the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) in Durham, N.C., and the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City, Utah. For more information, visit: garfieldpublicprivate.com.
