Los Angeles Theatres: Palace Theatre: basement support areas

A basement plan. This was taken from the theatre's 2008 tech packet PDF. We've annotated it and also added walls and created several openings to reflect renovations since the plan was drawn. Also see an annotated version of the stage basement half of this plan. Changes in recent years include the addition of the kitchen, expanded restrooms, and repurposing space under the south storefronts as an events area.

In the plenum:

Looking across the front of the plenum from house right. Photo: Bill Counter - 2014

After heading through a fire door backstage one can walk through the south side of the plenum and other basement areas to get to the theatre's basement lounge. The wall at the right is the front of the orchestra pit. That thing at center on a pedestal is an RCA 16mm projector.

Looking into the rear of the plenum space with ductwork from the main supply fan at the left. Beyond is the electrical gear for various mechanical loads. We're looking toward Broadway -- the wall at the right backs up to the new kitchen adjacent to the basement lounge. Photo: Bill Counter - 2014

Across the rear of the plenum from house right. The wall on the left is the back of the kitchen. The gray door gets you into the basement under the north retail spaces. Several fans are in the gloom down at the house left end of the space. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

Rotating 180 degrees from the previous shot we get a look at the main supply fan along the house right side of the space. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

Another angle along the duct coming from the main supply fan. Just beyond is a bit of the passage back toward the stage end of the basement. It's a Gary Leonard photo on Broadway Theatre Group's Palace Theatre website. See their gallery page to start your tour. This one is included with the website's green room and dressing room album.

Looking toward Broadway it's the controls for the main fan as well as the electrical panel for other mechanical system loads. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

The fan is on the left. That doorway beyond gets you toward the space under the office building lobby, under the south retail spaces, and into the theatre's basement lounge area. The angled shape we see is the underside of the house right stairs down from the theatre lobby.

An earlier view of the electrical gear near the main supply fan. That's the fan's speed controller on the left. It's a Gary Leonard photo in the Palace Theatre website's green room and dressing room album. Thanks, Broadway Theatre Group!

Fans at the back of the plenum on the house left side. Photo: Bill Counter - 2010

Near the fans seen in the previous shot but looking back to house right. Down at the end of the space, a left gets you to backstage, a right gets you under the office building lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - 2010

Seating end standards. Photo: Michelle Gerdes - 2011

Under the office building lobby and south exit passageway:

The old boiler. We're in the area under the exit passageway south of the theatre. The plenum under the main floor is off to the left. We're looking east. Directly behind us is the area under the office building lobby. Photo: Bill Counter - 2014

Another look toward the boiler. Photo: Bill Counter - 2024

Heating coils near the boiler. Photo: Bill Counter - 2014

Looking toward Broadway under the office building lobby. Beyond, one of the office building's elevators. Through the doorway there's the elevator equipment and the main building electrical switchboard. Photo: Bill Counter - 2014

The elevator machinery. We're looking toward Broadway. Thanks to Mike Hume for his photo. Visit the Palace Theatre page on his Historic Theatre Photography site for more of his great work.

Another look at the unusual elevator installation -- with the motors and controls in the basement! That's the control panel at the right. In this shot looking east with Broadway and the main electrical switchboard behind us. Photo: Bill Counter - 2014

At the end of the space toward Broadway (beyond the elevator equipment) it's the building's main electrical switchboard. Photo: Bill Counter - 2014

More electrical gear. Photo: Bill Counter - 2014

A peek back from the switchboard area toward the elevator equipment. Photo: Bill Counter - 2014

Under the storefronts:

Looking toward Broadway with the north wall of the building on the right. On the left note the sidewalk elevator for storefront #1, the north space. Above this area was originally the north exit passage onto Broadway. The retail area was later expanded and the exiting changed so it went toward the alley. Photo: Bill Counter - 2014

Another view in the north storefront's basement but from the center of the space. Photo: Bill Counter - 2014

Looking toward Broadway in the basement under storefront #2, just north of the theatre's lounge. Behind us, there's a set of stairs going up to the main floor. Photo: Bill Counter - 2014

The "daylight basement" glass in the Broadway sidewalk. Note the filled in area where there used to be a sidewalk elevator -- one got moved backstage. Photo: Bill Counter - 2014

A look to the rear of storefront #2, just north of the lounge. Much of this space is now part of the expanded men's room. Thanks to Will Campbell for sharing his photo on Flickr. It's one in his 65 photo A Morning at the Palace Theatre album from 2009.

Under the south storefront. Note the vault. Those sweeping conduits on the left side of the door are the remains of a pneumatic tube system. Much of the area on the right is now part of a new ladies room and the rest can be used as an events area. Behind us is a now-unused set of stairs up to the first floor. Photo: Bill Counter - 2014

Los Angeles Theatres

Palace Theatre: basement support areas

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