Beloved "Pueblo-Deco" Theatre Brought Back From Decline

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (November 14, 2000) The theatre consulting firm of Auerbach + Associates, San Francisco and New York, and Auerbach + Glasow, the architectural lighting division of Auerbach + Associates, announced today the completion of comprehensive restoration of the KiMo Theatre in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The KiMo, a landmark beloved by generations, was designed in 1927 in a unique regional style called "Pueblo Deco," which blends southwestern Native American symbols with the strong geometric Art Deco style favored by theatres of the era.

Auerbach + Associates, in association with principal architect Pearson & Company, acoustics consultant Purcell + Noppe & Associates, and restoration architects Kells + Craig, brought the landmark venue back to the glory of its original 1927 design. Today's KiMo is a meticulous restoration of the original theatre, with many decorative details recreated from historic photos.

Auerbach + Associates updated and modernized the complete theatre systems infrastructure, including theatrical lighting and mechanized stage rigging systems. Auerbach + Glasow restored the architectural lighting, improving the theatre's functionality and enjoyment level for staff and audiences alike.

The KiMo Theatre is on the New Mexico State and National Register of Historic Places, and is a designated City of Albuquerque Landmark. The renovation of the KiMo is a cornerstone of the ongoing redevelopment of downtown Albuquerque's historic Central Avenue/U.S. Route 66 corridor.

KiMo fans of all generations will be happy to see that the glowing red electrified "eyes" in the haunted longhorn cow skulls at the center of the proscenium arch have been restored in the new proscenium. A screened and highly decorated pro-proscenium lighting catwalk is flanked by funerary canoe lighting fixtures. Auerbach + Glasow restored the historic neon and renovated the general architectural lighting within the theatre, installing new fiber optic and LED lighting.


The KiMo's original house curtain and decorative motifs were recreated by Kells + Craig after exhaustive study and evaluation. Ceiling and upper wall details have been cleaned and repainted, bringing life back to the unusual Deco environment, which had faded to little more than a memory in old black and white photos. Custom-fabricated theatre seats, matching those in historic archives, complete the effect. Audiences returning to the newly-restored KiMo are witness to a venue rich in local history and lore --a place for residents and visitors to enjoy the performing arts in a unique Southwest setting.

Auerbach + Associates first began work on the KiMo in the late 1970s, after phased plans set the stage for complete restoration of the theatre. The KiMo's fly tower and pro-proscenium areas had been destroyed by fire in 1961. Initial structural restoration assured that the theatre would meet Albuquerque's modern codes. But the architectural elements that made the KiMo truly noteworthy, including the decorative proscenium, cheekwalls and seating, have only now been revealed for a new audience to enjoy.

About Auerbach + Associates

Recent and ongoing theatre design consulting work by Auerbach + Associates includes the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History's new Rose Center for Earth and Space; the Judy and Arthur Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall; the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House; the Mesa Arts and Entertainment Center; the Santa Fe Opera; the Philadelphia Academy of Music; The Latter-day Saints Conference Center; the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts; the Juilliard School of Music Theatre; the National Underground Railroad Museum; the Trenton War Memorial; and the San Francisco Jewish Museum.

About Auerbach + Glasow

Auerbach + Glasow's architectural lighting portfolio includes the San Francisco War Memorial Opera House; California Palace of the Legion of Honor; Vancouver Airport International Terminal Building; the Philadelphia Academy of Music; The Latter-day Saints Conference Center; Rice University, Shepherd School of Music; Sony Metreon-San Francisco; Niketown, Honolulu and Denver; the Ann Taylor Flagship stores, San Francisco and New York; Petrosains in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; the Space Center Houston, NASA Visitorís Center; the National Underground Railroad Museum; Mission Bay, San Francisco; and the San Francisco Jewish Museum.