pipe chambers were effectively sealed off from the auditorium by the new shell — rendering the organ non-functional unless its sound was transmitted into the auditorium through microphones and speakers. Changes and renovations As the use of taxis and chauffeured vehicles declined, Severance Hall’s tiled drive-through entrance was closed in 1970. A dining area was created in the resulting space. Later, one of the access corridors on the ground floor was converted into a dressing room for female orchestra members (harpist Alice Chalifoux had used her instrument case to dress in the late 1930s and early 1940s, when she was one of the few women in the ensemble). Beginning in 1998, Severance Hall underwent an extensive two-year, $36 million restoration and expansion led by architect David M. Schwarz. The renovated building reopened in January 2000, winning a National Preservation Honor Award. The most significant aesthetic change was the replacement of the “Szell Shell” with a new shell that combined the acoustics of the old model with a decorative style in harmony with the rest of the hall. The stage included a place for the relocation of the Orchestra’s newly-restored Ernest M. Skinner organ. The project also created a street-level lobby, a new restaurant, and additional offices for the Orchestra’s administrative staff. See also List of concert halls References Rosenberg, Donald (2000). The Cleveland Orchestra Story (1st ed.). Gray & Company Publishers. . Marsh, Robert C. (1967). The Cleveland Orchestra. World Publishing Company. Library of Congress 67-22910. Severance Hall. Retrieved October 27, 2005. External links Article in Entertainment Design magazine Concert halls in Ohio Music venues in Cleveland Music venues completed in 1931 1931 establishments in Ohio University Circle Art Deco architecture in Ohio Event venues on the National Register of Historic Places in Ohio National Register of Historic Places in Cleveland, Ohio Severance family