City Breaks Ground On New Lecture Hall In Newport Beach

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — Newport Beach city officials and the Newport Beach Public Library Foundation hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday to kick off construction of a new $23.4 million lecture hall.

The lecture hall, to be known as Witte Hall, will span 9,814-square-feet and feature tiered, stadium seating for 299 people and a design meant to complement the existing Newport Beach Public Library and City Hall.

The project — which is located just adjacent to the city's Central Library — is funded through a cost-sharing agreement between the City of Newport Beach and the Newport Beach Public Library Foundation.

According to Newport Beach Mayor Will O'Neill, the project took shape from a "push and pull of ideas."

"The hall itself will host views expressing nuance and wisdom," O'Neill told Patch.

Jill Johnson-Tucker, chair of the lecture hall design committee and chair of the "Beyond Books" fundraising campaign for the lecture hall told Patch that the lecture hall is designed to reflect the pride the city takes in its educational epicenter.

"The new facility will reflect the pride that this community holds for the library and Civic Center complex," Johnson-Tucker told Patch. "This fulfills the library's mission as the cultural, educational and informational heart of the city."

City officials approved the $19-million contract with AMG & Associates Inc., of Santa Clarita, to build the facility in early January.

Construction of the lecture hall is scheduled to take roughly 21 months, with the lecture hall opening in 2026.

According to the city, the building will be named Witte Hall in recognition of a donation from Bill Witte and Keiko Sakamoto.

While construction is in progress, Newport Beach city officials warned residents of a significant impact on parking in the Central Library parking lot.

Residents who are unable to find parking while visiting the library can use the Civic Center parking structure, located at 100 Civic Center Dr., with access to the library's north-facing entrance near city hall.