june Mayors corner with Mayor lauren kleiman

Welcome to the Community, Witte Hall

If you’ve spent time at our Central Library, you know it has always been more than a place to check out books. It’s where local students come to study together, parents sing along with their children during Storytime and, most recently, visitors enjoy coffee, tea or snacks at Kit Coffee. Witte Hall builds on these connections with the community.

Designed for lectures, performances and events, the hall adds a new layer to what the Civic Center campus already offers. It gives us the ability to host more, welcome residents and visitors through our doors and create opportunities for people to gather in different ways.

Located next to the Central Library, the hall features a 299-seat auditorium with a large stage, high-quality audio and visual capabilities and acoustics designed to support everything from author talks to live performances.

I invite you to join the City’s Grand Opening on Thursday, July 9, at 4 p.m., where you’ll have the opportunity to step inside and experience the space firsthand. The celebration will continue throughout the weekend with author events, musical performances and fun for the entire family.

Looking ahead, Witte Hall will also serve as a venue for community events rentals beginning in August 2026. I look forward to seeing how it becomes part of everyday life here in Newport Beach.

Warmly,

Mayor Lauren Kleiman

IG: lauren4newport
Email: lauren@lauren4newport.com

Mayor Lauren Kleiman is serving her first term as Mayor of Newport Beach.