The Beaux-Arts style Palace Theater, nestled in the heart of Hilo’s historic bay front area, has served as an architectural landmark and cultural gathering place since 1925. Listed on both the National and Hawai‘i Registers of Historic Places, the original design remains largely intact.  Inside, the 485-seat capacity theater was constructed to be, and still remains, an acoustically perfect venue.

Over the years, however, general decline exacerbated by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake and Hurricane Lane events in 2018 left the Theater in deteriorating condition.  Water seepage had created severe cracks in wood and stucco façade to the extent of pieces were falling loose onto the street, posing a public safety hazard.  The once state-of-the-art air conditioning system from the 1950s had been inoperable for decades.  In addition, the Fire Marshal required an upgrading of water sprinklers system to meet code.

Faced with these challenges, The Friends of Palace Theater embarked on an ambitious rehabilitation plan for both interior and exterior repairs. Historical architect Glenn Mason provided historic preservation and architectural services.

The projects were supported by two grants from Historic Hawai‘i Foundation—one through the Hilo Preservation and Beautification Program and a second as a challenge grant through HHF’s partnership with the Freeman Foundation. Wendy Peskin, president of the Palace Theater Board of Directors, said the challenge was met by major gifts from community members and generous theater patrons.

Exterior restoration of the exterior included repairs to the stucco and wood façade, repairing rot on the doors, painting the façade and trim, replacing the awning and installing new neon for the signature marquee sign.

The project also addressed interior needs for the safety and comfort of patrons. Before replacing the air conditioning system, the Palace upgraded electrical wiring and replaced the outdated fire safety system, eventually replacing all 600 of the 1930-era sprinkler heads.

The Friends used the Theater’s temporary closure resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic starting in March 2020 to complete the restoration work. Executive Director of the Palace Philips Payson calls the project “serendipitous.”

Palace Theater Executive Director Philips Payson

“This project has kept our whole team sane and focused throughout the majority of this past turbulent year,” Payson disclosed. “Throughout this crazy time, the project has been our focus, helping to keep us grounded.”

For the community, seeing the Palace Theater being repaired became almost symbolic, as a positive sign during a dark time. Payson explains this is because the theater has “definitely had an impact on generations of Hilo residents. It holds memories for so many–as the place where they watched Star Wars for the first time or went to see the Mickey Mouse Club.”

The contractor and other professionals involved in the project also share a personal connection with the Palace and some have served as volunteers with the Friends for many years.

“The Palace is a great bonding of space and time,” remarks Payson. “We had a musician play here recently who remembers coming here when he was a kid. After he finished performing, he went up to find the seat where he used to sit with his father. He sat down, took a photo and sent it to his mother.”

“The Palace Theater is a community gem. The restoration project has inspired countless messages of cheer and good will from Hawaii Island residents. Many patrons have reached out over the duration of the project to share their memories and experiences attending a Palace event, and to express how much joy it brings them to know the Palace is being taken care of. People cannot wait for the doors to open again to bask in the revitalized beauty of this one of a kind treasure.”

The Friends of the Palace Theater, MASON, Hennen Construction, In Custom Signs, Anvil, Inc., Pacific Rim Fire Protection and Perez Wall Solutions will be recognized with a Preservation Project Award for the Palace Theater Façade Restoration. Click here for information about the 2021 Preservation Honor Awards Virtual Ceremony.

The Palace Theater continues to serve the community as a virtual arts venue providing LIVE FROM THE EMPTY PALACE, a video series of live performances held in the empty auditorium of the Hilo Palace Theater, and a Virtual Cinema Portal with scheduled screenings and movies-on-demand. Visit the Palace Theater website.

Editor’s Note: Portions of this article appeared originally in the November 2020 issue of Historic Hawai‘i News, the printed newsletter published three times a year by Historic Hawai‘i Foundation. Become an HHF member and start receiving your own subscription.