A $3.6 million contract was awarded on December 1, 1976. The 1936-built Temple Place entrance and passageway were closed that month, and concession stands were removed in 1977. The modernization included new wall tiles, new lighting, rebuilt staircases, and upgrades to the faregate area on the southbound platform. The work included the replacement of the remaining original copper headhouses with three modern glass-and-steel structures. Elevators to the fare lobby from the Red Line center platform and the surface were installed in 1979, making the Red Line section accessible. However, the surface elevator was frequently out of service due to repairs and other construction in the station. The aesthetics of the renovation were not well received; one longtime employee remarked the station resembled a billiard parlor.