The preservation efforts were led by Marianne McKenna of KPMB Architects:
As Torontonians toe back into IRL revelry, Massey Hall is ready to welcome them back. To label the space as simply a music venue would be a colossal understatement. It’s a hallowed hall, a church of sound that Canadian legends call a home-away-from-home, with musicians including Gordon Lightfoot and Geddy Lee among the regulars.
In the old space, the absence of elevators made accessibility minimal. Now, two elevators and extended accessible seating broadens the number of visitors who can catch a gig: Massey Hall’s signature arches were covered in chicken wire some 80 years ago to prevent plaster from falling on patrons. During the renovations, the architects built a 60-foot scaffold so artisans could restore the detailing by hand. The ceiling was also reinforced to support pop star-level lighting and sound equipment: