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The Howard Theatre

2012   I   Completed

LOCATION

Washington, D.C.

Discipline

SECTOR

Project Type

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Audi Field
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Howard Theater-1
Stage View
Howard Theater-5
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outside
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Project Details

The Howard Theatre, a cultural icon in Washington, DC, opened in 1910 and became a cornerstone for African American artists during segregation. Legends like Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Marvin Gaye, and The Supremes graced its stage, shaping genres like jazz, R&B, and soul. 

After years of closure, the theater underwent a $29 million renovation completed in 2012. The restoration, funded by an $8 million grant and $4 million in Great Streets Tax Increment Financing (TIF) from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, preserved its Beaux Arts, Italian Renaissance, and neoclassical Greek exterior while modernizing the interior. The renovation transformed the space into a cabaret-style venue, retaining historical elements like columns and balconies while adding a dome ceiling, seating for 1,100, and state-of-the-art acoustics. 

Led by Paola Moya during her period at Marshall Moya Design and partnered with Martinez and Johnson Architecture as the Architect of Record, the project earned awards such as the 2012 AIA | DC Award for Excellence in Historic Resources. This renovation honors the Howard Theatre’s legacy, ensuring it remains a vibrant part of Washington, DC’s cultural landscape. 

Designed under Paola Moya’s leadership as CEO of Marshall Moya Design

Facts & Figures

Client

Ellis Development 

Size

34,000 SF

Status

Completed

Completion Year

2012

project cost

$29M

accreditations

LEED Gold

Delivery Method

DesignBidBuild 

Construction type

Historic Renovation 

Awards

2013

Craftsmanship Award 
District of Columbia Historic Preservation Office and Office of Planning  I  Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation  

2013

Washington Building Congress |
Craftsmanship Award
 

2012

AIA-Local Awards

2012

Historic Preservation Award-Local 

Collaborators

general CONTRACTOR

Whiting-Turner

ARCHITECT OF RECORD

Martinez+Johnson Architecture

MEP

Metropolitan Engineering/
Shapiro-O’Brien

Theater Consultant

Schuler Shook

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