Going to the movies is a classic tradition and Alamo Drafthouse and Cinema is taking the experience to another level. The 50-year-old office building, once home to Macy’s, went through core and shell renovations to transform into a 12-screen motion picture house with in-theater dining, a full bar, video store and vintage arcade room. 

The project’s original design plans dated back to the 1970s, which presented a few, unique construction challenges. One obstacle included moving building materials, including foam risers, to the second and third floors of the high-rise. We opted to use foam risers over concrete risers because of the weight load on the existing structure.

Risers provide the classic auditorium feel where you walk down a series of steps into your seat. If we had implemented concrete risers, the building would have required structural upgrades and increased costs, labor and construction time.