June 4, 2007----BOARD MEETING: A board meeting was held Monday with board members, and special guests including building inspector, contractors, architects, engineers and building committee members present. Representing A & E Architects were Jim Baker and Nathan Blanding (former Deer Lodge resident) from Billings, and George Mullen from Beaudette Engineering, Missoula. There was much discussion and many ideas shared to give the architects and engineers some direction for the preliminary designs. However, the Board was reminded that building code compliance issues and accessibility issues will force some of the decisions the board will have to make, and taking time to plan now will make a better theater in the end. The board members and the contractors present stressed how anxious everyone is to move forward with the plans and designs as soon as possible. It was agreed that this is a "most unique" project in that there are so many volunteers who are willing to help us accomplish our goal of rebuilding our theater!
Nathan is the project architect and his enthusiasm for his work was evident. He stated that we are going way faster than they thought we would! (He must have forgotten how this small community of Deer Lodge works together to get things done!)
It was also
reported that the cat walks in the ceiling were
done; the plumbing work for the drainage system
on the roof should be started this week and the
electrical work for the temporary lights should
also be done in the next week.
We would summarize the process by
saying the board has to balance many things,
including retaining the Rialto's historic
character, making it a comfortable movie venue,
meeting all the life-safety concerns, having a
functional performing arts center for the
community, and trying to anticipate future needs
and changing technologies, while getting it
rebuilt as fast as possible. Our
hope is to have some concrete information to be
able to share with the public as soon as
possible. We will keep you informed!
EDITOR'S NOTE: (Gayle Mizner) April 18, 2007
Words cannot express the elation that was felt at the board meeting when the $500,000 donation was announced! During the past few months it has seemed like this project would be beyond what we all were capable of doing....but when we got this word it seemed like it was the answer to our prayers! I thought for a minute that maybe Steve had misunderstood the amount?! He was pretty sure though so then the tears started! I hope that the donors of this most generous and loving gift will come to know what this will mean to our small community of Deer Lodge and the whole state of Montana. It is truly a gift of love as far as I'm concerned and I hope to some day shake the hands of these new neighbors of ours!! I would also like to thank the kids of this community who through their perserverance showed what the Rialto means to them. They are the ones who are going to make this happen!!
Community Meeting: 225 interested persons attended the community
meeting at the Pen Convention Center on November 20.
The board members reported on all the developments since the fire on November 4,
2006, and those attending showed overwhelming support for rebuilding the theater. Members of the audience were encouraged to ask
questions and comment on the reports.
Origin of the Fire: The independent
investigator from Portland determined that the fire began in an appliance in the
concession area and spread quickly to the attic. The
exact cause has not yet been determined.
Engineering Reports: Three structural engineers and an historical
architect have examined the building. All of
them agree that the façade can be saved. The
stage area is mostly intact, and most of them believe the side walls can be retained and
do not need to be demolished. The roof and
most of the balcony are burned in the auditorium. The
6 historic backdrops appear to have only smoke damage.
The ticket booth and the chandelier and marble wainscot in the entry area also
appear to have survived.
Insurance:
The Rialto received a check for $272,000 for the building, and there will be a
payment of $30,000 for contents and other smaller amounts for other expenses.
“National Register of
Historic Places” Status: A
letter from the Montana State Historic preservation office
stated that it is “not planning to delist the building from the National Register of
Historic Places at this time. If the
community decides to restore/reconstruct the building, the building could remain on the
National Register of Historic Places if a majority (more than half) of the original
materials remain and the work is pursued and executed using sound architectural and
historical research and historic preservation guidelines.”
Historical architect Jim
McDonald of Missoula, who did the original architectural assessment of the Rialto in 1996
to guide the board and had examined it after the fire, said he believed over half of the
original materials remain.
Showing Movies: The board said that if an accessible, appropriate
location could be found in the community that it would like to show movies again,
Offers of Help: Jim McDonald, as current president of the
Montana Preservation Alliance, offered the assistance of that organization with grant
writing and technical help. The MPA had co-hosted the state preservation
conference in Deer Lodge in June, and several sessions were held at the Rialto. Rev. David Baker, on behalf of the Deer Lodge
Ministerial Association, offered to host concerts and other events previously scheduled
for the theater at the various churches if that will work.
Numerous other individuals have offered to help with different aspects of the
project.
Fundraising: Several fundraisers are already underway,
including a benefit performance of “Boomers” by the Port Polson Players on
November 30 at the CPC, and special Rialto shirts. Two
eighth grade girls presented $300 to the board at the public meeting from the sale of
homemade baked goods. Other local projects
are in the planning stages. One group is
trying to get the TV show “Extreme Makeover” to help. Governor Schweitzer and the Montana congressional
delegation are looking for ways to help. The
board requested that all fundraisers be authorized by the board and coordinated to avoid
duplication of effort. A grant-writing team
is being assembled and all possible funding sources will be explored, as this will be a
very expensive project.
The board has
always had funding in hand before beginning any of the upgrades or restoration projects,
or even the original purchase in 1995. It is
reluctant to take on a large amount of debt because the revenue may not be there to make
payments. Concessions, rent, and some
donations have paid the operating expenses, while grants, memorials, and other donations
have paid for the improvements. Donations to
the restoration fund will be used to show local support and to match grants.
The Plan: The board has identified the following phases
for reconstruction,
Phase I - debris removal, stabilization of the façade and
other elements, and some demolition.
Phase
II – retain architects and engineers,
begin design.
Phase
III – Get roof over the structure and work on interior components as
funding becomes available.