Emery Revival Architects
John Senhauser and Westlake Reed Leskosky

Buildings have a language of their own. The Emery speaks with a singular voice – people listen; the community listens as this voice joins with others. Over-the-Rhine has long dreamed of its rebirth. The repurposing of The Emery Theatre will join with other voices to define that network of artistic, social and cultural change.
      -John C. Senhauser

After a comprehensive selection and interview process, two distinguished architecture firms were strategically selected and hired in 2011 to restore and revive The Emery: esteemed Cincinnati firm, John Senhauser Architects, and the renowned company, Westlake Reed Leskosky. As a result of the historic preservation and theatre restoration experience of the Senhauser and Westlake collaboration, the firms were asked to design the reclamation of the entire Emery Theatre building as an interdisciplinary arts center. On November 11, 2011, the acclaimed team revealed the full-scale restoration plans for The Emery in tandem with The Requiem Project: The Emery’s 11.11.11 Preview Event.

The important partnership between Senhauser and WRL has served to ensure that the most consummate and proper care has been taken for the preservation and operation of this historic treasure. The result of the work of this architectural team is a design of The Emery that fulfills the vision of The Requiem Project: the re-establishment of a century-old performance space as a unique arts and cultural venue whose size and diverse use is currently not available in the Greater Cincinnati region.

The Emery will be the 76th dark (or closed) theatre the firm will successfully reopen.