Friends of Newport Beach’s library celebrate new civic auditorium’s first phase of construction
City Council members and friends of the Newport Beach Library celebrated the completion of the first phase of construction for a new state-of-the art auditorium at a ceremony Tuesday.
Witte Hall is being built next to the library at the Civic Center on Avocado Avenue and is expected to be completed in 2026. As of Tuesday, most of the metal beams forming the skeleton of what will become a 299-seat lecture hall have been set.
The new building was designed by firm Robert R. Coffee Architect + Associates and will feature carpet made out of recycled fishing nets and a curved roof inspired by the seashells found along the city’s beaches. It was approved by the City Council in January, and crews broke ground on the project in February. It was described as a “cornerstone” of the Civic Center in a news release from the Newport Beach Public Library Foundation.
“The folks behind this hall were bold, and mighty forces came to their aid,” Councilwoman Robyn Grant said during Tuesday’s ceremony. “From day one, this project has had the tenacious support and vision of a small group led by [Foundation board member and former Planning Commission chairman] Jill and Larry Tucker, which has grown to a large community willing to pledge resources to transform the character of Newport Beach.”
The chief executive of the foundation, Jerold Kappel, invited council members Grant, Lauren Kleiman, Brad Avery and Erik Weigand as well as city staff and members of the community who have supported the project to add their signatures to a final beam that will cap Witte Hall’s steel superstructure. The event marked another milestone in what has been a roughly decadelong effort to make the facility a reality.
“Now, when you see those beams, you see that go up, when you can go to the second floor [of the library], look down and see, really, how close every seat is to the stage and how well designed it is, then it’s sort of like, ‘Oh yeah, it is real,’” Kappel said.
The project had been the topic of lively debate when it was initially proposed. Supporters noted that attendance for events at the library have more than doubled over the past 10 years, and its existing 187-seat Friends Meeting room has struggled to keep up with the growing needs of the community. That space was built along with the library in 1994, has a flat floor and does not feature fixed seating or a permanent stage.
Critics of the new facility acknowledged its potential benefits, but questioned whether it was worth prioritizing over other infrastructure projects. It was estimated to cost around $8 million when initial designs for the hall were proposed in 2019.
But that price tag grew over the course of the planning phase. The development ultimately approved by the City Council in a 4-3 vote earlier this year wound up having a $23.4-million price tag.
The Newport Beach Library Foundation agreed to take on half of that expense. Their “Beyond Books” fundraising campaign has raised over $9.5 million in cash and pledges so far. On Tuesday, Kappel announced that an anonymous donor has agreed to match the next $500,000 contributed to their efforts.
As much as $4 million was donated at the outset of the foundation’s fundraising campaign by the family of William Witte and Keiko Sakamoto. They had a hand in creating a lecture series hosted at the library and saw firsthand the need for a larger space to facilitate events and discussions hosted by local and visiting speakers, talents and organizations, Witte said during Tuesday’s ceremony.
The couple met in the San Francisco area before moving to Southern California together for work-related reasons 31 years ago. Sakomoto said she initially didn’t want to relocate and came “kicking and screaming” to Newport Beach. But when they got there, she said they found a community that embraced them and a nurturing environment to raise their three children.
“When people ask us, ‘Which do you consider your home?’ we easily, easily say ‘Orange County is our home,’” Sakomoto told the Daily Pilot after Tuesday’s ceremony. “It took a while, but it’s an important place for us, and our kids say the same thing ... we feel really proud that we are able to do something that’s going to be so meaningful for the next generation.”
The foundation is still working to secure the rest of its share of funding for Witte Hall. Those interested in making a large contribution still have the opportunity to have either the facility’s auditorium, green room or its back-of-house control room named after them, Kappel said. The nonprofit is also seeking a corporate sponsor for a grand-opening event once it’s ready to welcome the public. More information can be found at nbplf.foundation.
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