The reopening of Boston’s Opera House is part of a nationwide renaissance of the grand theaters that once dotted every city. Successful touring productions of shows like “The Lion King” and “The Producers” are driving the restorations, along with the strength of the preservation movement and the revival of urban downtowns. From the recently reopened Hippodrome Theater in Baltimore to the California Theater in San Jose–reopening in September after a 31-year vacancy and a $73 million restoration–so many upgrades are in the works that the League of Historic American Theatres started a best-of-the-year award (this year’s winner will be announced Saturday).
City planners see the projects as catalysts for more redevelopment. In Boston, word of the Opera House’s renewal sparked a revival of the old theater district, where a movie theater, hotel and gym have popped up. “That never would have happened without the Opera House cleaning itself up,” says Boston Redevelopment Authority director Mark Maloney. It’s a story worthy of a Broadway show.
title: “Extreme Makeover” ShowToc: true date: “2023-01-16” author: “Amanda Mondragon”
BARTZ: Our customers are the people who make the world’s goods, so we are a bellwether. And so I believe [the economy is] definitely on the way up.
What’s “the digital-design data revolution”?
The way that data gets around now is FedEx, feet, flying, phone and fax. The process has to be automated, so you can keep that information digital and manage it a lot better.
Where do you stand on outsourcing?
We have a development center that we’ve opened in China. I can hire engineers there at one sixth to one eighth the cost. Fabulous engineers. Then I can hire more engineers here, which is what we’re doing. We have to be realistic about this. I would suggest that if the American public wants to get hung up on something, let’s get hung up graduating great engineers and keeping our middle schoolers interested in math and science.
How do you deal with the view that software applications aren’t a hot growth area?
That’s like saying there’s no more technology needed to build great cars and great buildings and whatever, which is nonsense. In the late ’90s, [pundits] connected us with what was called the Old Economy. Now those of us who provide the solutions and tools to help companies turn profits and be productive are back in vogue.
How big is your piracy problem?
We’re eight-to-one stolen. If there were eight cars stolen right off the lots at GM for every one that they managed to sell, people would go berserk. Think about it: there are literally hundreds of millions of dollars of engineering done every year, and we think [it’s not so bad] to steal that. But then you scream when a job goes offshore? I’m all confused.
What have you learned about managing creative people?
I think respect is a big word. Respect for their passion for technology, and even respect for the kind of way they want to do projects. The software engineer is still revered at Autodesk.
You’re a breast-cancer survivor. What did you learn from that experience?
What I learned about myself is, be tough, deal with it, be smart about what you know about it and then get on with your life. For me it doesn’t work to say, “I have to go off and watch the waves roll in for the rest of my life.”
