Deer Lodge Rialto

Check out our progress here: NEW PHOTOS of the recently revealed ceiling and partially built balcony!! (UPDATED JUNE 16, 2009)

RIALTO FUNDRAISING REACHES A "SECOND" MILESTONE!!! SEE UPDATED DONATION FIGURES TO MAY 5, 2009~~

With the monies raised at the April dinner/auction, there has been some electrical, speakers and plumbing rough-ins done and our wonderful volunteers have also been busy putting up the side walls in preparation for the plywood and sheet rock. There will be a meeting of contractors, subs and board members this week to make sure that we will be able to go forward with whatever work we have enough money for at this time. Pictures will be made available after the meeting in addition to the ones that were posted today. We are also keeping our fingers crossed that we will be awarded some of the federal stimulus money so that we can move forward with our project!

___________________________________________________________________________________

With the unexpected and very much appreciated $10,000. donation from REC Advanced Silicon Materials from Butte, Mt, Steve Owens said that in all likelihood our figure for fundraising would have just passed the $2 million mark....and he was right!! In the past few days, as our final figures are being calculated it is confirmed that we did indeed pass that mark. Terry Jennings, a PCHS alumni and employee of REC, presented the check to a surprised Owens and was then met with a standing ovation from the group of diners and volunteers gathered at St. Mary's Center. It appears that after expenses the Dinner/Auction dinner has generated around the same $50,000 + that was raised at the 2008 dinner. The committee is very pleased with those results in light of the present economic conditions in our area. Between all of the volunteers who helped plan, cook, serve, wait tables, clean up, & everything else in-between, and all who attended to enjoy the fantastic dinner and bid on the many donated items, this was truly a community (AND BEYOND) effort on behalf of our Rialto. THANK YOU EVERYONE!!

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Board member Ron Mjelde confirmed today that Martel Construction has temporarily discontinued work at the Rialto due to lack of funds. We have been able to get 2 phases and a portion of phase 3 completed with the funds that we have raised to this point. It seems that because of the current economic condition grants and donations have slowed considerably. Martel was able to get us to a point that we might be able to continue some work with volunteers and we will be looking at that option in the coming weeks. We feared this day was coming but of course are dismayed that we will not be able to continue at this time. We are continuing to explore any and all grants and other funding opportunities and are hopeful that this will be a short pause in the action!

On another note, it has been with much sadness that we learned that the job superintendent, John Beck, will not be back with us when we can get Martel back. John will be leaving for another job to an undisclosed site. We have been most fortunate to have had John for the past 8 months....he is a top notch guy and has worked so well with the board, the subs and everyone who had the pleasure of meeting him. We are also loosing Dan Harris, his side kick. These guys have often gone above and beyond to help us reach our goal and I hope they won't forget their time here... We are very grateful for all they have done for us and wish them the best at their new job!!

While we're on the subject, we really have nothing but good to say about Martel Construction....Devin Wille, John Beck, Dan Harris, and their entire crew...all first class and a real joy to work with! Thanks you guys for getting us this far and we hope our break won't be too long...

SOOO....if you haven't sent in your donation yet, please do so now! We REALLY need it!

________________________________________________________________________________________

A spot on KXLF News Station appeared on Feb. 17, 2009 and can be linked here:

Greetings Rialto Friends in SW Montana,

For those of you who get KXLF TV in Butte and are home in time for the 5:30 news, there should be a story about Rialto construction on Monday, 2/16.
News Director John Sherer stopped Friday evening for almost an hour and shot lots of footage, so hopefully they will be able to get a bit of it on. It may also be on the late news, but that is less likely. We lit it up as much as we could to highlight all the progress in the front end.

On Monday the big new beam for the front edge of the balcony will come and be put in place, and on Tuesday the large step trusses that will form the balcony will come and that delicate installation process will start. We have enough funds to keep going until about late March. Sometime before then, depending on what comes in in coming weeks, we will have to see if we can go further or need a break for fundraising.

______________________________________________________________________________________

FOR YOUR INFORMATION we are posting a February 6, 2009 restoration update that Steve has prepared for use in grant writing. (Well done, Steve!)

January 2007 - the new large door was built on the south side of the building to allow excavators, trucks, and cranes into the Rialto. Over 66 large truckloads of debris were removed from the facility then, and more has been removed since.

April-May 2007 - steel support posts on concrete pads are installed to stabilize the sidewalls, and to provide support for the roof trusses.

June-July 2007 – trusses spanning the width of the building are put in with cranes and a new roof is put on the building to protect it from the weather.

May-June 2008 – construction design completed, including building code compliance (especially strict for theaters,) and plans reviewed by contractors, building inspector, state electrical bureau, and Historic Preservation Office. Over $400,000 was trimmed from the original estimates for construction by moving beams, changing materials, and other design modifications. The old Rialto had 720 seats, 410 downstairs and 310 upstairs accessed by the ramp which was too steep to be rebuilt legally. The new Rialto will have 550 seats, with 330 downstairs and 220 upstairs, with stairs and an elevator. It will be accessible, functional, more energy efficient, and affordable to operate.

July 7, 2008 – construction began on the first of the 4 large construction phases with the erection of a large work platform. Insulation, electrical conduit, sprinkler systems, and ductwork for the large air handlers required by current codes are all installed in the attic, and the new ceiling is built and painted. The decorative items on the ceiling, which had been painted directly on before, are replaced by panels painted with stencils that are functional as well as attractive. Above the center cross pieces, which move, are the stage lighting trusses that will replace those formerly on the front of the balcony. The round items at the ends of the shorter arms are the diffusers for the air handlers. Phase I was completed November 18, on schedule and under budget.

November 19, 2008 - Phase II began with the removal of the rest of the concrete and the excavation of the lobby area to build a crawlspace under the floor for plumbing and electrical service. It will include framing of the walls up to the third level, renovation of the entry, setting the mechanical units, some of the heating system, new electrical panel, and fire sprinklers in the lower levels. It will run to late-February, 2009.

Phase III – will be divided into several large parts. IIIA will be primarily installing the steel beams and stepped trusses for the balcony, some ductwork and electrical rough-in, and building half of the utility tunnel that runs from the lobby to the basement. The other parts of Phase III involve the stepped concrete for the seating, completing the electrical rough in and plumbing rough-in, and work on the heating system.

Phase IV – includes finishing the walls, painting, trim, plumbing and electrical fixtures, flooring, cabinets and concession area, seating, and all the other items that must be done before we can get a “certificate of occupancy” and open again.

All future construction work, like the first two phases, will only start when sufficient funds are available. More fundraisers are planned, and more grant applications are being submitted, but many of the foundations that might support this project have been hit hard by the current economic situation and loss of stock values.

We have raised about $1.9 million from almost 1,000 donors from all over the country, including many former residents and many who have never seen or used the Rialto. We will continue to use donated labor and materials whenever possible. The new Rialto will retain the character of the old but will not be exactly the same. Most of the historical finishes will come at the end and are a tiny portion of the overall construction costs. IF funding comes in as it is needed and there are no delays in construction we could begin using the Rialto in summer 2009. We have enough money to work through Phase IIIA, ending in March 2009. We may then need to take a construction break to raise more funds.

On November 30, 2008 our neighbor, Peoples Bank of Deer Lodge, hosted a community Open House on the stage of the Rialto so area residents could come view our progress and find out how much was accomplished in the first phase. At least 345 attended the Sunday afternoon event, and they left over $3,057 in the donation film canister to register their approval.

On January 14, 2009, at a ceremony at the Myrna Loy Theater in Helena and a reception at the Montana Historical Society, the Rialto received the “2009 Governor’s Award for Preservation” for the Outstanding Local Preservation Project in the State of Montana from the Montana Historic Preservation Office. This ceremony is held every two years. (See story below)

Photos and more information are available at www.deerlodgerialto.com, and donations can be sent to P.O. Box 874, Deer Lodge, 59722.

The following article courtesy of the Montana Historical Society-State Historic Preservation Office. Released on January 16, 2009.

The Montana Historical Society-State Historic Preservation Office hosted the 2009 Biennial Historic Preservation Awards on Wednesday, January 14, 2009, at the Myrna Loy Center, Helena, Montana. These awards recognize the outstanding efforts of those who have worked to save and honor historic buildings and preserved properties across Montana. As it has been in the past, it was a special event that drew together many unsung heroes who dedicate their energies to preserving the best of our collective past.

Lieutenant Governor Bohlinger presented opening remarks and the awards, which honor individuals and organizations that have made significant contribution to the preservation of our significant places. Owners of the thirty properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places over the past two years also received certificates of registration. In addition, two properties were listed as National Historic Landmarks.

The recipient of this year’s Governor’s Award in Historic Preservation goes to the Rialto Theater Restoration Project in Deer Lodge for its outstanding work in local preservation.

Would Steve Owens and Gayle Mizner of Deer Lodge please come forward to receive this award, please?

Since 1995, the Rialto Community Theater organization of Deer Lodge has worked hard and long to preserve the 1921 Rialto Theater. The theater, if you haven’t seen it, is a remarkable example of “Beaux-Arts” style architecture in Montana. This classic American “movie palace” truly helps to define Main Street in Deer Lodge. In its 80-plus years of service the theater has been the focal point of entertainment within the Deer Lodge community.

Sadly, just when most of the preservation work was almost complete, a fire swept through and gutted the historic Rialto Theatre in November 2006. It seemed at first that all the years of fund-raising and hard work would be lost. But the silver lining to the tragedy was that the building’s remarkable terra cotta outside façade remained intact. Recognizing that much of the building still remained, the good people of Deer Lodge wasted no time in starting to rebuild this cultural asset again.

The Rialto Community Theater, Inc. is made up of Steve Owens, Lee Jewell, Susie Blair,Ron Mjelde, Teresa Pierson, Kerry Bruner, Ted Johnson, Phil Maxwell, Mike Johns, Ron Scharf, and Gayle Mizner. Over the last two years this organization has raised $1.9 million towards reconstruction of the Rialto Theater with a total fund raising goal of $3.5 million in sight. If all goes as planned, they hope to be re-open for business as early as this summer!

Tonight we celebrate the Rialto Theater Restoration Project with the 2009 Governor’s Award in Historic Preservation. By this we honor the remarkable dedication of the Rialto Community Theater group and also the many citizen volunteers, craftsmen, engineers and architects who have worked hard to save the Rialto Theater – not just once, but twice - so that it may continue to contribute to the culture and community of Deer Lodge. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We are truly honored to receive this very prestigious award and thank everyone who had a part in recognizing us!! We hope that it won't be long until our Rialto is fully and authentically "preserved"! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Photo courtesy of Pat Hansen

FOR THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF ALL OF YOU FROM ALL PARTS OF THIS COUNTRY,

WE SINCERELY THANK YOU!!!

....but we have a ways to go yet so let's keep it up!!

_______________________________________________________

GIFT NOTIFICATION CARDS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL OCCASION GIVING! UPON RECEIPT OF YOUR DONATION IN ANYONE'S HONOR WE WILL SEND A BEAUTIFUL CARD NOTIFYING THEM OF YOUR GIFT TO THE RIALTO RESTORATION FUND IN THEIR HONOR! These cards have been designed and made for us by Studio 518 West and are exclusive to our Rialto Restoration efforts!

____________________________________________________________________________________________

November 1, 2008----ON-GOING FUNDRAISERS....The following is a list of the ongoing fundraisers now going on in Deer Lodge for the Rialto Restoration efforts:

RIALTO NOTE CARDS: Studio 518 West has created some beautiful blank note cards with images of our beloved Rialto. You can see and order them on the Fundraising page soon. All proceeds generously going to the Rialto. Call Gayle at 846-1614 to order these beautiful cards.

AWARE & ANACONDA RECYCLING will be giving us $.40/lb. for all aluminum collected. Cans may be dropped off at the lot across from R & C Home Improvement on Milwaukee Ave. Hours: 8:00 to 5:30 Mon.-Fri.....8:30 to 5:00 Sat.

RIALTO MUGS are still for sale. Diana Solle has donated the remaining mugs to us and you can purchase one at R & C Home Improvement, 100 Milwaukee Ave., Deer Lodge, MT 59722, at MRC Station, c/o Tina Schowengerdt, 520 Main St., Deer Lodge, or by contacting either Steve or Gayle....(see FUNDRAISING ITEMS )

Rialto t-shirts are still for sale by contacting Steve Owens (we have a few that are left but will try to get more made if there is still interest) .(see FUNDRAISING ITEMS )

DONATION JARS AT MRC, c/o TINA SCHOWENGERDT (donated $1217.08 so far) and KEYSTONE DRUG (donated $215 so far) Thanks to all!

__________________________________________________________________________________

Rialto Theater Restoration Fund

PO Box 874

Deer Lodge, MT 59722

Site designed and maintained by Studio 518 West and G-Glo Designs - Deer Lodge, Mt

Rialto Board Members

Rialto Theater Restoration Fund

PO Box 874

Deer Lodge, MT 59722