Renovation work has begun at McMahon Auditorium

Upgrades that City of Lawton and McMahon Auditorium officials have wanted for years are under way.

Construction has begun on projects that will make the balcony area more accessible by adding an elevator; upgrade bathrooms; install a new fire suppression system; and upgrade the heating/ventilation/air conditioning system. Jason Poudrier, arts and humanities administrator for the City of Lawton, calls it bringing the historic auditorium into the modern era.

McMahon Auditorium was built in 1955, funded by Louise and Eugene McMahon and their McMahon Foundation as a gift to Lawton. Today, the auditorium is a heavily-used structure that brings in thousands of people in most months, for events ranging from concerts to graduation ceremonies. That heavy usage is part of the reason adjustments were made to close the building only when absolutely necessary, said Poudrier, whose arts and humanities offices are on the west side of the auditorium.

Poudrier said McMahon Auditorium Authority considered closing the auditorium during construction, but members changed their mind after the resulting outcry. He said while officials knew just popular the auditorium is, it wasn’t until they began drafting plans for construction that they realized “how much this building gets used.” That is especially true during the holidays, he said, pointing to recent a dance recital and musical events such as Handel’s Messiah and The Nutcracker that will be held in the auditorium in the weeks leading up to Christmas. That’s why adjustments were made.

“Despite construction, we’re still open for business through December,” he said, explaining work will be done during the day, so the auditorium still can host events at night.

The plan is to keep to that schedule through December, then close the auditorium between January and late April to work on the HVAC system, then reopen it for some events before closing it down again to complete HVAC work.

Funding from the 2019 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) and the recently approved CIP Extension are providing the means to address problems that have been an issue for years. For example, there have long been complaints from residents that the balcony is inaccessible to those with limited mobility, while parts of the HVAC system date to 1955.

One of the biggest upgrades centers on restrooms, which will be updated or new ones built. Construction already prompted changes in existing restrooms, Poudrier said. Because contractors have gutted the downstairs women’s bathroom, plans have been made to provide facilities during upcoming events. Portable restrooms will be placed in front of the auditorium to serve as a men’s and unisex facility, while the men’s room inside the auditorium will be renovated to serve women. Signs will direct residents to the correct area.

“We’re excited about it,” Poudrier said, of renovations he said are “complementing the original designs that Louise McMahon had a part of.”