The John Anson Ford Amphitheatre has been described as a hidden gem in the Hollywood Hills, and now Los Angeles County officials want the gem to sparkle a little brighter.

County plans call for major upgrades to the Ford Amphitheatre, a 92-year-old venue located in the Cahuenga Pass. (photo by Edwin Folven)

The county is planning a multi-million dollar renovation at the 92-year-old venue, which is located in the Cahuenga Pass and is operated by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. Public input on the project is currently being accepted, and a draft environmental impact report is being compiled. Once the EIR is finished, the project will return to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for approval. No timeline or exact cost has been established for the project, but it is already garnering support from civic officials who represent the area.

“It’s been a jewel in the cultural crown of Los Angeles, and we want to build on that,” Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, 3rd District, said. “It is a very exciting place.”

The supervisor said the plan has been in the works for a couple of years, and the first phase was completed last summer, when the floor was water-proofed and all of the seats were replaced in the 1,196-seat amphitheater.

The next phase is far more ambitious, however, and calls for 47,550 square feet of new facilities to be constructed, such as a new 299-seat theatre and a 99-seat rehearsal space. Approximately 48,750 square feet of new outdoor plaza space would also be built, along with a transit center for bus and valet parking. The project also calls for the construction of a three-story parking structure topped by “The Ford Plaza”, where a restaurant, new box office, conference room and office space would be located. Additionally, plans call for the existing box office to be turned into a museum/gallery, and the removal of the existing concessions building. The 87-seat “[Inside] the Ford” space would be repurposed as a self-serve food marketplace area. A former two-story hotel at the site that is currently used as offices would also be removed to make space for the transit center and a three-story parking structure.

Improvements to the venue’s infrastructure are also planned. The hillside behind the amphitheatre would be stabilized, and the stage would be reconstructed to address flooding that occurs during rainstorms. A retaining wall would be built to reduce noise from traffic, and new lighting, sound and theatrical systems would be installed to enhance the theater-going experience.

All of the work would be completed on the amphitheatre’s existing 32-acre site, and would not involve any development on land in the surrounding Hollywood Hills, said Leticia Buckley, director of communications for the Los Angeles County Arts Commission. Buckley added that the idea is to preserve the pristine location while improving the amenities.

“It’s the environment [that makes it special]. It’s in the middle of the city, but it feels like it’s not,” Buckley said. “You’re not going to get that intimate experience in an outdoor theatre anywhere else in the county.”

The venue is named after John Anson Ford, a former county supervisor who represented the 3rd District from 1934 to 1958. The amphitheatre’s performing arts season runs from May through September, and the programming primarily showcases music, dance and arts programs representing the diversity of Los Angeles County. The arts commission works with local arts organizations, as well as entities outside of Los Angeles County, to create the programming.

“It really does run the gamut,” Buckley said.

The project is being planned with traffic issues in mind, and Buckley said the EIR would address concerns about vehicle congestion and parking. She said stacked parking is currently utilized at the amphitheatre’s surface parking lots, which would be eliminated with the new parking structures.

“Parking is a big part of the EIR for us,” she added. “We know it is a big concern for the community, and definitely priority one for us.”

Others civic officials representing the area around the amphitheatre also expressed enthusiasm about the project.

“The Ford Theatre is the most intimate outdoor venue in the city and county,” Los Angeles City Councilman Tom LaBonge, 4th District, said. “I greatly support this, and I am excited about the plan.”

Members of the public can review the proposal at www.fordtheatres.org, and make comments to be included in the EIR through March 11. Written comments can be mailed to Joan Rupert, Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, Planning Division, Environmental and Regulatory Permitting, 510 S. Vermont Ave., Room 201, Los Angeles, CA 90020. Comments can also be faxed to (213)639-3959, or emailed to jrupert@parks.lacounty.gov.