My Facility: Scott Christopher

Tell us about yourself and how you got into FM?

My career in facility management spans over 27 years. That includes work in municipal parks and recreation, a multi-court tennis facility, other parks and related support facilities, including common area and turf acreage, etc. The transition from parks to buildings happened by chance as a result of a departmental restructuring/reorganization. I’ve been at the Fox Theatre for a little over a year, and I’ve been involved with IFMA for more than seven years, earning my SFP designation two years ago.

What is day-to-day life like at the Fox Theatre?

There is never a dull moment at the Fox! Last year alone, we hosted more than 200 events serving upwards of 500,000 guests. Our events range from private events like weddings and proms to Broadway shows like “Wicked” last year and “Hamilton,” which I’m looking forward to experiencing this year. The Fox Theatre also hosts all sorts of concerts, from solo performances to larger events like three sold-out nights of Widespread Panic.

I’m proud to work for a venue that was named number one on the list of “Top Stops of the Decade” (for theatres of our size) for the second decade in a row. This past decade, the Fox sold well over 5 million tickets.

We have about 70 people officed in the building. The busiest days are always when we have either a load in or load out – or when we have several taking place at the same time between our public and private spaces.

One of the most challenging aspects of the job is when our maintenance and housekeeping staff members have a “go between,” which is resetting the facility in the time between a matinee and evening performance. Sometimes that window can be as short as 45 minutes, requiring removing all the trash, cleaning all the restrooms, making any necessary seat repairs, etc.

What makes the Fox Theatre unique and what kind of special challenges do you face managing it?

One of the more unique things about the Fox Theatre is, of course, the age of the building. We just celebrated our 90th year, as the theater first opened on Christmas Day in 1929.

The Fox Theatre is on the National Register of Historic Places and was designated a National Historic Landmark, so those two facts present opportunities to merge modern facility management practices with those required for a historic venue.

Due to the building’s age and the intricate design elements of both the interior and exterior, just trying to maintain the proper aesthetic keeps us on our toes, especially when considering the original finishes and surfaces that still exist in the space.

How much space do you manage?

I’m responsible for managing over 250,000 square feet. This includes the auditorium, both ballrooms, office space and the theatre’s recently launched premium event space, the Marquee Club.

Whether there is an event or not, my day-to-day remains the same. Those responsibilities include directing and managing all aspects of physical maintenance, housekeeping, building systems, a variety of capital projects and related infrastructure improvements to ensure safe, secure and enjoyable experiences for everyone in the building, from guests and employees to visiting performers and their crews.

When you consider the places you have served, what kinds of FM challenges are common across the venues?

In my experience, whether a facility is brand new, mature or historic, the challenges and opportunities tend to be more-or-less the same in nature.

The plumbing, HVAC and other systems in a given building all function is mostly similar ways.

Newer equipment may be more sophisticated and more efficient, but that is not necessarily an indicator of capability. An example of that here at the Fox Theatre is our original 300-ton air-handling unit and M17 Chiller. Installed in 1946, it’s still in operating condition and can outcool our newer unit by far.

What was your most significant FM challenge & how did you overcome it?

My biggest challenge came while serving in a previous location. The building, a shelter for women and children, happened to be almost exactly the same age as the Fox and there was a significant sewer backup. The sewer system in this particular building served approximately 120 people.

Through several acts of kindness, in-kind donations and a very high level of teamwork, we were able to diagnose, form and execute a plan that minimized the impact to our clients. The work took about 48 hours as opposed to the original estimation of up to a week or more.

Major plumbing repairs in the basement of the old building were undertaken, concrete cutting and re-pouring, repair of the main sewer line that was approximately four feet under the basement slab, portable showers and restrooms were brought in.

All of this took place over a major U.S. holiday, making it more difficult to find workers willing to complete the project. Without the amazing teamwork and help from contractors, vendors and friends of the organization, we would not have been able to restore life back to normal as quickly as we did for this vulnerable group.

What do you like best about what you do?

There’s almost always some new opportunity to experience — even on a daily basis. My team – maintenance and housekeeping, specifically – and all my other colleagues make tackling the unknown much less stressful than it could be otherwise.