Deer Lodge Rialto

Check out our progress here: NEW PHOTOS of our progress. (UPDATED May 6, 2010)

Check out a fun "Remember When" written by Mike Richards to the volunteer guys. It's posted in the "Memories" link

REMEMBER, OLDER NEWS ITEMS PREVIOUSLY ON THIS PAGE HAVE BEEN MOVED TO "NEWS" LINK AT LEFT, IN ORDER TO KEEP THIS PAGE A LITTLE CLEANER!

MURDOCK CHALLENGE UPDATE~~~RECEIVED TO DATE (07/22/2010)~~~$219,802.22~~~BALANCE~~~$230,197.78~~~

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FOR RELEASE June 8, 2010

TWO GRANTS RECEIVED

Steve Owens, President of Rialto Community Theatre, announced the receipt of $10,000. from the Gallagher Western Montana Charitable Foundation, Missoula, MT. This amount brings the total received from this foundation to $35,000. since the fire that gutted the theater in Nov., 2006.

The Rialto Theatre also received a check in the amount of $2500. from The Sewell Family Foundation, Edina, MN. This foundation typically awards grants primarily in MN, and occasionally in New York and other states, so we feel especially honored that they felt our project warranted their consideration.

MANY THANKS to both foundations for their generosity!

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FOR RELEASE MAY 23, 2010

REC Awards $10,000 Grant to Rialto

REC Advanced Silicon Materials near Butte has awarded a $10,000 grant to the Rialto Community Theatre in Deer Lodge to help finish the restoration of the historic downtown facility. REC is a major producer of polysilicon and silane gas products that are used in electronics, LCD screens, solar panels, and in the electrical systems of hybrid cars. It employs about 300 people in the Butte-Deer Lodge area, and also donated $10,000 to the Rialto project in 2009. “We really appreciate the generous support that REC gives the Rialto and other non-profits in southwest Montana,” Rialto President Steve Owens said.

The Rialto was built in 1921 and was severely damaged by fire in November 2006. It is used for all local school plays and concerts and a wide variety of other community events. The estimated cost of rebuilding is about $3.5 million, and volunteers have raised about $2.7 million from local donors and from across the country. Reconstruction is over two-thirds complete. Remaining work includes boilers, wood trim, dozens of doors, wiring, plumbing, and seating, and everything depends on the availability of funding.

More information on the Rialto Restoration is found at www.deerlodgerialto.com, and contributions to help finish the project can be sent to P.O. Box 874 in Deer Lodge, 59722.

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MAY 6, 2010

The change drive conducted by the kids in SD #1 concluded today with the counting of the coins at Pioneer Federal Savings & Loan. Representatives from O.D. Speer & Granville Stuart were present together with teachers, Kathy Thompson & Michelle Horne and Principal Rick Ashworth as well as Gayle Mizner, from the Rialto Board & Louie Mullen from the Silver State Post. Much to the delight and surprise of all present the final figure raised in one month by the kids was $1928.00!!! PFS&L had agreed to match up to $1200. but Mike Richards announced that they would add $1500 instead! THANKS ONE & ALL who helped make this another successful event for us! Kathy Thompson's class raised the most coming in at over $500. WOW!! Pictures of the day on NEW PHOTOS.

UPDATE: Mike Richards has informed us that Pioneer has met the entire amount of $1928. We appreciate their continued support!

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GOOD NEWS TIMES TWO!!

NEWS RELEASE FOR APRIL 6, 2010

Subject: HB 645 Historic Preservation Competitive Grant Program Final Grant Awards

Greetings Rialto Friends and supporters,

It's always fun to be able to pass along good news, and we hope you enjoy getting it as much as we like sending it. The item below is the official notification about the Economic Stimulus Historic Preservation grant funds from the Montana legislature. The 2009 Montana legislature set aside $3.6 million of its federal discretionary stimulus funds for competitive Historic preservation grants. The process began last fall and applications were due in November, and the Commerce Department had planned to make the awards in January. When the Montana economy began to sour more governor Schweitzer put the process on hold. The hold has just been lifted, as you can see below. There were 135 applications requesting $20 million, with the available funds less than 1/5 of that. The process itself was quite complex, and our application was over 80 pages.

The good news is that we had the highest score of the 56 funded projects, with 895 out of 1000 possible. 79 projects were not funded at all. 200 points were possible for each criterion. The fact that we were Montana's "Outstanding Local Preservation Project of the Year" in 2009, that we had already made considerable progress in construction, and that we had our challenge grant from the Murdock Trust all probably helped our case. The $161,174 we were awarded was the largest of all the grants, and funds the top three of the 7 items we prioritized last year. These are the wood finishes at $108,668, the masonry work (where the big door was, the airlock, etc. for $36,029, and all the steel doors and frames for $16,477. When we put this together last year Devin Wille from our general contractor, Martel Construction, revised the numbers for all the things that remained to be done, and then we put a package together that added up to the maximum $250,000 we were allowed to apply for, mostly things that we knew we would not be doing before this spring at the earliest.

We now have located over $260,000 of the $450,000 match we need to get the other $150,000 from the Murdock Trust. Just last week we got a $10,000 grant from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation in Missoula, and we hope to clear at least $50,000 again this year at our third "Dinner for a Movie" dinner/auction on April 17. Local students are starting another coin drive, and I understand that our local Pioneer Federal Savings will match the first $1,200 they raise this time. Almost all of the interior now has at least a coat of primer, and the high walls and some ceilings now have a second coat of paint.

Thank you for your support and interest.

Steve Owens

From: KDalton2@mt.gov
Date: Mon, 5 Apr 2010 16:41:15 -0600
Subject: HB 645 Historic Preservation Competitive Grant Program Final Grant Awards
To:

Hello Everyone-

We are pleased to inform you that Governor Brian Schweitzer today announced he is releasing the hold on the local government grant money and historic preservation funds contained in HB 645. “With corporate tax payments for March being the highest amount for any March in a decade, the sale of the Otter Creek coal tracts bringing $86 million coupled with money in the bank makes me comfortable releasing the local government funds,” said Governor Brian Schweitzer. “I appreciate the time many local communities across the state took to meet with me about their projects.” With this news, the Montana Department of Commerce is ready to move forward with the final award announcement for the Historic Preservation Competitive Grant Program.

On April 2, 2010, the Historic Preservation Competitive Grant Program committee forwarded their final recommendations for Historic Preservation grant awards to Commerce Director Anthony J. Preite. Director Preite concurred with the committee’s final recommendations in their entirety. The attached list identifies the amount of funds requested by each successful applicant and their award offer from the Department of Commerce.

These grants would provide funding to the 56 highest-scoring eligible applicants ranging in value from $13,509 to $161,174 in 24 counties. The program received 135 applications by the November 16, 2009 deadline. Each application was reviewed and scored by a Historic Preservation committee member using a five-tiered scoring system. Department of Commerce staff spent time away from their normal Department duties during the months of December, January, and February to evaluate each applicant’s responses to HB 645 statutory criteria 1, 2, 4, & 5, and State Historic Preservation Office staff contributed their historic preservation expertise in evaluating all 135 applicants’ responses to criterion 3. The committee members have a combined 100 years of experience conducting and administering grant programs with additional expertise in historic architecture, civil engineering, community planning, and tourism.

Thank you for your interest in the HB 645 Historic Preservation Competitive Grant Program. Montana houses a vast array of historically important properties. These awards will go a long way in creating jobs for Montana workers while assisting in the continued preservation of our state’s great history.

Thank you.

Kelsey Dalton
Program Specialist
Historic Preservation Competitive Grant Program

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Rialto Theatre Awarded $10,000 Grant

The Rialto Community Theatre in Deer Lodge has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation in Missoula for the Rialto Restoration Project. The Rialto was severely damaged by fire in November 2006 and the rebuilding effort is about two-thirds complete. The total cost of the project is almost $3.5 million, and volunteers have raised $2.4 million so far.

The Washington Foundation was established in 1988 and supports a wide variety of Montana organizations involved with education and scholarships, arts and culture, human services, and community development. Special emphasis is directed toward programs that help economically and socially disadvantaged youth and their families. Capital construction projects like the Rialto are seldom funded, so this grant is a special exception. Funding comes from contributions from Washington Corporation, Montana Rail Link, Montana Resources, and Dennis and Phyllis Washington.

The Washington grant will count toward the Rialto’s 1:3 challenge grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust in Vancouver, WA. In November the Trust gave the Theatre a $300,000 grant, with $150,000 up front and the other half requiring the Rialto board to raise $450,000. The volunteers have now raised $100,000 of the match, and contributions come every day to help with the effort. The floors have been poured in the facility, the walls are sheetrocked and taped, and most of the building now has a coat of paint. Remaining work includes boilers, doors, wiring, plumbing fixtures, and seating.

Donations for the Rialto effort can be sent to P.O.Box 874, Deer Lodge, MT 59722, and photos and more information are available at www.deerlodgerialto.com.

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RIALTO SEATS

ARE NOW FOR SALE!

$300 EACH

YOUR NAME OR YOUR FAMILY’S NAME WILL BE DISPLAYED IN A PROMINENT PLACE IN THE NEW RIALTO

THIS IS A GREAT GIFT IDEA, AND WITH OUR CHALLENGE GRANT EVERY

$300 DONATION IS NOW WORTH $400!

Contact any board member for more information.

Checks can be sent to: P.O. Box 874, Deer Lodge, MT 59722

DONATIONS ALSO ACCEPTED THROUGH PAYPAL BY CLICKING ON THE LINK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE,

OR BY CLICKING HERE FOR THE DONATION FORM.

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$300,000 Grant for Rialto Theatre Restoration

The Rialto Community Theatre in Deer Lodge has been awarded a $300,000 grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust in Vancouver Washington to help bring the restoration of the historic theatre toward completion. The Rialto board will get $150,000 now, and the other $150,000 is a 3:1 challenge grant that requires Rialto volunteers to raise $450,000 more. The total cost of the restoration project is about $3 million, and over $2 million has been raised in the three years since the historic structure in downtown Deer Lodge was severely damaged by fire on November 4, 2006. Reconstruction is well over half finished and is ongoing as funds are available. “This generous grant plus the challenge funds will bring us really close to the end of this huge project,” Rialto board president Steve Owens said. The effort has received donations from over sixty other Montana communities and thirty-five other states so far.

The Murdock Trust was established in 1975 by the will of Melvin J. (Jack) Murdock, co-founder of Tektronix, Inc. and an innovative, entrepreneurial leader with business involvements and interests throughout the Pacific Northwest. The Trust focuses most of its grantmaking on the states of Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, Washington, and Montana, with an emphasis on higher education, scientific research, human social services, health care, and the arts. It has made over $500 million in grant awards since 1975, placing it among the five largest private foundations in the Pacific Northwest and one of the top 100 in the country. The grant process is extremely competitive.

The Rialto was built in 1921 and is the only true auditorium in Powell County. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and is used for all local school plays and concerts as well as a wide variety of other programs. The lobby, concession area, restrooms and balcony have been rebuilt, and current work is primarily on new water and sewer lines, the concrete steps and infloor heat in the auditorium, heating systems, and the concrete utility tunnel from the lobby to the basement. Volunteers are currently working on raising the match for the challenge grant to keep buying materials. There will be some work for community volunteers as the project progresses. More information and photos are available at www.deerlodgerialto.com, and donations can be sent to P.O. Box 874, Deer Lodge, MT 59722.

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FOR YOUR INFORMATION we are posting a August 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.

July 2007-March 2008 – construction break while raising the funds to continue.

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 $500,000 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 more affordable to operate, while retaining its historic character.

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 15% 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 includes 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 was essentially completed in mid-March, 2009.

Phase III – has been divided into several large parts. IIIA includes installing the steel beams and stepped trusses for the balcony in late February, 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 and IIIA, 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 $2 million from over 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 had come in as it was needed and there were no delays in construction we could have begun using the Rialto in summer 2009. We have enough money to keep working at a slower pace, doing more insulation, working on more of the electrical and plumbing rough-in in Phase III, and starting to hang sheetrock and plywood on the walls. We continue to find ways to safely trim costs and improve the design.

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 this event. Our second annual “Dinner for a Movie” dinner/auction on April 4, 2009 was a great success, netting over $50,000 for the second consecutive year. The second Open House on Sunday, April 19 attracted at least 360 folks from all over western Montana for tours of the lobby and balcony, and refreshments provided by the bank.

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.

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

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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:

SEATS: Seats are now for sale for the price of $300 each. Names will be displayed inside the building. Use Donation Form, call Steve, or Gayle for more information.

RIALTO NOTE CARDS: Studio 518 West has created some beautiful blank note cards with images of our beloved Rialto. 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!

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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