Hollywood’s historic Capitol Studios are closing for as much as two years starting this summer, as the Capitol Records Tower building continues to undergo repairs.
Thirteen studio staffers were informed Friday (April 29) that their jobs were being eliminated due to the closure.
Paula Salvatore, who has managed Capitol Studios for more than 30 years and is now VP, client relations and studio marketing, Universal Music Group, told Billboard in a statement: “I have been informed that Capitol Studios will have to shut down starting this summer for a lengthy structural improvement project. It’s the first time in the studios’ 66-year history that they will have to shut down for an extended period of time.”
The legendary studio, which had stayed open during the pandemic, had continued to operate this year, even as Capitol Music Group staffers moved to the Hollywood NeueHouse complex in February for at least 18 months. It is renown for artists ranging from Frank Sinatra to Nat King Cole, Barbra Streisand and Paul McCartney recording at the famed facility.
The closure is allowing work to be done to shore up the iconic building. The California Geological Survey concluded in 2014 that an active fault line ran under a 4.5-acre stretch of land along Vine Street in Hollywood, just south of the Capitol Tower, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The renovations will not affect the studios’ renowned acoustics or the room dimensions. All the equipment will be temporarily moved to a temperature- and climate-controlled facility.
During the downtime, the studio plans to install some newly acquired vintage gear, as well as update some of the technical capacities around content capture and connectivity.
“The good news is that this project won’t change the magical acoustics of Studio A or Studio B — and in no way will it impact Capitol Studios’ historic echo chambers. Capitol Studios will also have the chance to invest in significant improvements they’ve wanted to make for a long time, but because the studios were always so busy, they never had the opportunity,” Salvatore said. “When Capitol Studios reopens, I have no doubt that it will be better, stronger and more marvelous than ever.”
UMG does operate other studios in Los Angeles where artists can record, including Republic Studios near Century City.
The round, 13-story Capitol Tower — the world’s first circular office — was completed in 1956 and became an instantly recognizable Los Angeles landmark for its resemblance to a stack of records with a 90-foot rooftop spire on top. However, the structure’s architect told Billboard a few years ago that design is a coincidence.
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