Joansing For The Arts In San Diego

A former recreation hub for U.S. Navy sailors is being transformed into a permanent home for the arts in San Diego.

The Joan and Irwin Jacobs Performing Arts Center (The Joan) is the result of a non-profit partnership between one of San Diego’s foremost theater companies Cygnet Theatre and historic preservation organization NTC Foundation.

“It’s one of the things I talk about all the time when I talk about the project, because I’ve been in all kinds of different jobs and non-profit management for years, and I think it is unique that two nonprofits could put their organizational egos aside, if you will, and come together to do something really great for the community,” said Lisa Johnson, president and CEO of NTC Foundation.

The Joan, which is scheduled to open its inaugural theater season on Sept. 10, is an adaptive reuse project turning historic Naval Building 178 into a new ultramodern performance space. Cygnet and NTC Foundation have raised 86 percent of the project’s total $43.5 million cost, relying on philanthropic contributions from the community for the rest.

The building was part of the Naval Training Center that is now known as Liberty Station historic district – the county’s largest historic preservation and cultural project. The building, which was constructed in 1942 had undergone numerous renovations and had been vacant for 25 years. Originally a base exchange and recreation hall, the basement level once housed a bowling alley and the first and second floors were used as a commissary, coffee shop, pool hall and a disco.  

“At the top of the staircase are those little inlays that you would see in a bowling alley, like the little arrows so you know where to roll your ball,” explained Johnson. “If you didn’t know it was a bowling alley, you’d walk right by it. But for those of us that know, it’s just kind of a cute treatment that we wanted to retain some of the building’s history in the new design.”

The restoration project is the result of a 2017 study by the NTC Foundation that confirmed the city needed a free-standing performing arts center to serve small community arts groups. Building 178, which is owned by the NTC Foundation, was the right fit and the project broke ground in 2024. 

“We’re good at real estate development,” explained Johnson. “We’re good at operating real estate. We’re good at programmatically managing the arts district, but we’re not building operators. We want to find operators to do that, or people to occupy the buildings or use the buildings.”

Cygnet, which had been using several buildings across the city, was looking for a way to consolidate under one roof and NTC was looking for an operating tenant. Cygnet covers the operating expenses for the 42,000-swuare-foot building and NTC Foundation doesn’t charge any rent. 

“I don’t charge them any base rent, and I never will,” said Johnson. “I think it’s such a win-win.”

The reimaged space keeps key original elements while creating a contemporary, functional theater that will allow Cygnet to elevate their productions.   

The team in charge of the renovation includes designer Fisher, Dachs & Associates, architect obr Architecture, project and construction manager Boretto & Merrill Consulting and general contractor Suffolk.

The renovation team is removing boarded up archways to re-establish the existing arcades and colonnades Windows and doors that were enclosed are being restored. The exterior will be repainted to complement Liberty Station’s historic feel. The project will also demolish and reconstruct the non-historic northern part of the building to allow for expansion of the basement floor level for a new main stage.

The Joan will feature a 280-seat proscenium theatre and a 150-seat flexible studio space. Enhancements include an open-air lobby, two bars, three landscaped patios, restrooms, and an updated HVAC system. The center also includes custom support spaces such as dressing rooms, two green rooms, a costume shop as well as dedicated rehearsal and orchestra space. A gallery will occupy the lower lobby showcasing local artists.

Throughout both theaters, acoustics were a priority with a focus on sound quality, amplification and noise mitigation. Overhead is a busy flyover zone.

“The flight path for departing flights out of Lindbergh Field or San Diego’s International Airport goes right over this building,” explained Johnson. “So, we do something we lovingly call the ‘Point Loma Pause’ when we’re talking, because the planes fly over, and we have to pause so that we can hear each other.”

Designed by Threshold Acoustics, state-of-the art paneling is being used in both spaces and the proscenium theater will house a separate orchestra chamber and an amplification system for musical performances. Noise mitigation includes thicker walls and a specially constructed roof that will minimize noise from the frequent flyovers. Other interior systems that will prevent disturbances include noiseless doorknobs, rubber gaskets on doors and HVAC system shock absorbers.

“It is amazingly quiet,” marveled Johnson. “I was touring my staff through a few weeks ago, and one of them said to me, ‘Do you realize you haven’t paused once for an airplane flying over?’ Which is so significant because we pause all the time.”

The Joan is positioned to be a cultural destination for the community with the debut season featuring a variety of productions from Sondheim to SpongeBob. The theater company produces a year-round season of professional off-Broadway theater as well as educational programming attracting an estimated 50K attendees. 

While Cygnet is the primary tenant, other arts organizations including dance companies and musical groups will be welcome to use the space, making it a public platform of San Diego’s arts scene. 

“I want people to be wowed when they come in,” offered Johnson. “I think they’re going to be. I think they will be when they see what we’ve been able to do and how we’ve transformed an already beautiful historic space and repurposed it into something that’s going to really impact the arts and culture community in San Diego and throughout the region for generations.”