Music Academy of the West Downtown Hub
Category: Arts & Culture
Address
901 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Details
Development Status: Under Construction
Estimated Completion: TBD
Developer: Music Academy of the West
Architect: Brooks + Scarpa and DMHA
Photo Credit: Brooks, Scarpa, Huber + DMHA Architecture
The Music Academy of the West is transforming the former Forever 21 site into a premier music instruction, rehearsal, and performance hub right in the heart of downtown. This "Community Benefit" project will feature an acoustically engineered performance space large enough for a 90-piece orchestra, nine teaching studios, a recording studio, and a 3,000-square-foot rooftop lounge. Recently updated to better reflect Santa Barbara’s historic "Paseo Viejo" aesthetic, the design has received strong support from the Historic Landmarks Commission as a transformative addition to State Street. Interior demolition is tentatively scheduled to begin in July 2026.
