Admission is free but reservations are required by calling 523-4675 or 523-4674.

"It's a wonderful piece of old architecture that will once again be available for all the public to enjoy," Mayor Jeremy Harris said Wednesday.

The Mission Memorial Auditorium and adjacent Mission Memorial Buildings were originally commissioned by the Hawai'i Evangelical Association to help mark the centennial of the first American Protestant missionaries' arriving in Hawai'i.

Designed with Neo-Classical and Georgian architectural features, the two buildings near Honolulu Hale on King Street are the only examples of Jeffersonian architecture in the state.

The auditorium was originally used for gatherings and performances, but in 1944 Honolulu city officials purchased and converted them into office space, covering the high ceilings, plastering over the stage and "building a rabbit's warren of cubicles that completely hid the real beauty of the building," Harris said.

Using the original blueprints for the structure, city contractors brought back all the old features of the performing space, including the original stage area and hardwood floors, and added some modern touches, such as upgraded electrical wiring, professional stage lighting, air conditioning and power-drawn shades that can block out sunlight at the touch of a switch.

"Wow! It's absolutely stunning. That's the way all our civic buildings should be restored," said David Scott, executive director of the Historic Hawai'i Foundation who saw the completed project for the first time Wednesday afternoon as painters were adding final touches.

Harris said the renovated building, which can seat about 300 people in various configurations, will be available to the public for concerts, lectures and other meetings.

City officials also plan to use the auditorium for public hearings and large meetings of government employees.

Scott said the restoration of the auditorium to a historically appropriate use could be a model for others in Honolulu. "It's a wonderful resource and a great new asset," he said.

Harris said he hopes the adjoining Mission Memorial Building, which is still occupied by some city offices despite its run-down interior and most recently was used as fictional police headquarters for the new TV series "Hawai'i", can be next on the list of buildings to be brought back to life.