My Facility: Paige Satter

Tell us about yourself and how you got into FM.

I am fairly new to FM, but have been working in performing arts venues most of my life. My mother is a retired production manager, and I grew up running around backstage. I played music in high school, managed plays in college and spent a wonderful career backstage surrounded by extremely talented musicians and artists. However, after more than 30 years working in production management from Seattle to San Diego, I was asked to lead the FM team in 2021 when we opened The Rady Shell. I have been with the San Diego Symphony for nearly seven years.

What is Rady Shell and Jacobs Music Center?

Luckily, I am not the only person that oversees the San Diego Symphony’s three venues. We each have a share of responsibilities. My focus is on building management and maintenance, security and public safety, janitorial, event management, and budget management.

The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park is an outdoor concert venue/public park located on the beautiful San Diego Bay and can accommodate up to 10,000 guests. Because the weather in San Diego is so temperate, we can present concerts and events most of the year. We completed construction on The Rady Shell during the pandemic and opened on Aug. 6, 2021. We are thrilled that Forbes called The Rady Shell “The country’s coolest new concert venue.”

Jacobs Music Center is a 1929 historic Fox Theatre that is going through a major, US$125M renovation. This Music Center is in downtown San Diego and will seat 1,850 once completed. This has been the primary home of the San Diego Symphony since 1984. Its lush, French Rococo-style is so ornate that I see something new every time I look. It truly is a magical place.

We also own a 14,000 square foot warehouse (storage is always an issue!) We purchased this barrel-roof building around the same time we opened The Rady Shell. It is a shared space between several departments and has been a life saver during the various building and renovation projects. We also use it as a workshop for ongoing projects.

What is day-to-day life like at the San Diego Symphony?

The San Diego Symphony is a remarkably busy organization! We are the oldest orchestra in California, established in 1910, and employ 71 full-time staff, 105 part-time staff, 85 contracted musicians, union stagehands, and 972 volunteers.

During the summer months, we are busy with rehearsals concerts, and events. We produce, present and rent at The Rady Shell and have events year-round. Typically, the orchestra moves indoors in the fall for our Masterworks season, while concerts and events continue at The Rady Shell.

Although the heart of the San Diego Symphony is classical music, we perform and present many different genres of music. We also present feature films with the orchestra playing the score (we love anything by John Williams) and present many other events including comedians, private events, community events and the popular monthly yoga session at The Shell.

With two concert venues and a warehouse to oversee, our days are full in the Facilities and Operations departments. In addition to preventative maintenance, building repairs, compliance work and vehicle upkeep, we also support concerts and events and work with security and janitorial to ensure the venue is as safe and clean as we can make it.

What kind of unique challenges do you face managing The Shell, Music Center and their respective grounds?

Having venues built in 1929 and 2021, we are in a unique position from an FM perspective. The Rady Shell is located on the San Diego Bay and that brings with it many unique considerations. For example, we quickly discovered the impact salt air has on the venue. We are also across the water from the Naval Air Station, so we see (and hear) our share of aircraft and watch ships floating past the venue.

We are lucky in Southern California not to have too much extreme weather, but we are always on the lookout for lightning storms and strong winds. We are a rain or shine venue, which brings its own set of challenges as it takes time to wipe down 5,000 chairs! The Rady Shell can take excessive heat and cold and we always welcome a rainstorm, so it gets a good cleaning.

Acoustics play an integral part of what we do as an orchestra. The Rady Shell utilizes the latest technology to ensure both the musicians onstage and the audience have the best experience possible. We use two sound systems, one that creates a recording-studio atmosphere for the musicians on stage and speakers that provide the best sound available for the audience.

 

How much space do you manage and how is it used?

The Rady Shell and Jacobs Park sit on approximately 3.68 acres, housing five buildings (stage, ticket office, food pavilions, offices/restrooms) and lots of open space. Most operations and production team members work out of The Shell. Jacobs Music Center occupies one-third of a block downtown and houses our concert hall, administrative offices, conference spaces and reception rooms.

Tell us about your FM team.

Our team includes a chief mechanical engineer and a staff of technicians, some who have been with the Symphony for nearly 20 years. They spend their time between the three venues, going to where the work is needed the most. We cross-train so everyone has a working understanding of the various equipment and mechanical systems. Rady Shell has facilities coverage seven days a week.

What are some FM challenges you face at SDSO that are common across the FM industry?

I’m sure everyone wishes for a larger staff! Keeping up with technology and ensuring the staff are up to date with the equipment and best practices are important to us. We also need to balance day shifts with event shifts which makes for creative scheduling during the busy months.

What do you like best about what you do?

I like the variety: on any given day I can watch a rehearsal, work on staff schedules, meet about the Jacobs Music Center renovation, manage various budgets or give a tour of The Shell. Not one day is like the other. I also am onsite for most events and get to hear a lot of music. Being around creative people has always been important to me and I am thrilled that I can combine FM with my love of the arts. Add working in two world-class venues to that, and I consider myself an incredibly lucky person.