More Marin Center Improvements Get Underway This Month

SAN RAFAEL, CA — Construction is slated to begin later this month at Veterans' Memorial Auditorium, promising more upgrades at Marin County's largest indoor performance space.

The $7.5 million project is scheduled for completion in May and includes a brand new parking lot and overhauled entrance area.

"This undertaking is not simply a parking lot paving project, it is a rebuild of the entry gateway to all the Marin Center facilities, including the VMA, the Exhibit Hall, the Showcase Theater and the county Fairgrounds, each of which serve the public in a variety of cultural and artistic capacities," the county said Thursday. "The lot is also used for popular events such as the weekly farmers market and seasonal French Antique Market."

Officials said the existing parking lot pavement was in dire need of replacement, and the new lot will feature pervious concrete and permeable drainage. The specialized concrete will help mitigate stormwater pollution, and new drains and piping will allow for new electrical and fiber-optic wiring that will support future upgrades.

The county will also install new lighting and improve the parking lot's layout to allow for more efficient traffic flow and pedestrian mobility.

The work overlaps with the BMA's ongoing seismic retrofit project that began in June and will help the 52-year-old facility fare better during future disasters.

"The seismic upgrades will bring the iconic VMA building up to modern safety standards," the county said. "This includes strengthening the theater stage roof, strengthening the stage walls, bracing the suspended control room, and bracing the plaster ceilings."

The seismic upgrades are being funded by a FEMA grant and money from the county's capital improvement fund and are expected to be completed in the spring. The parking lot upgrades are being paid for by county funds and a $1.6 million Caltrans grant.