Behind the curtain: State Theatre restoration takes shape  

Dec. 9, 2019

This paid piece is sponsored by Journey Group.

It’s technically a construction site, but in some places it feels more like an art studio inside the historic State Theatre.

“It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen in construction,” said Bill Lienke, project superintendent for Journey Group, the construction manager at risk.

“It is art more than construction, absolutely.”

The restoration of the State Theatre will allow the downtown Sioux Falls landmark to reopen as a modern movie house in 2020. Work on the main auditorium started about two months ago.

“We’ve got a significant amount of scaffolding set up in there, up to 50 feet in the air with a platform set up 6 feet below the ceiling,” project manager Craig Holmen said.

That platform is where restoration workers from Wisconsin-based Conrad Schmitt Studios have been working to retain the historic character of the building.

Senior project director Rick Statz first learned of the building a decade ago while working with Journey Group on restoring St. Joseph Cathedral.

At that time, his firm produced images of how the State could be brought back to life and later worked with Journey to restore the lobby.

In the main auditorium, “all the original stencil work was covered by layers of paint,” Statz said. “You couldn’t see that it was there. In order to replicate it, we used different kinds of chemicals to peel back layers of paint to get specifically to the stencils.”

From there, the restoration workers document the stencils, take paint chips and start re-creating.

“The replication process is still done by hand,” Statz said. “We don’t feed this into a computer that spits out prints. The individual stencils are largely hand-cut on site. And they’re hand-applied. All painting is done by hand. We match the paint chips to a universal color system using a microscope so we can put together a means to replicate them.”

It’s just as amazing watching the plaster repair team at work, Lienke said.

“They can take a mold that’s been scuffed or damaged and re-create that existing mold – duplicate it using their tools and materials – and make a new mold to recast these plaster pieces and put them in place. That’s an art form too. It’s not typical drywall. They’re artists. They’re carving and sculpting on site and re-creating what was done 100 years ago.”

The work is the culmination of a lot of planning, Statz added.

“I really appreciate working with a contractor like Journey. They’re definitely several notches above your average contractor,” he said. “Craig has been great at communicating, and they work as a team toward success. We’re working together, solving challenges and forecasting things that need to be done to make this smooth and effective.”

Allison Weiland, executive director, has continued to work in the theater during construction and said it has been a positive experience.

“They’ve been great,” she said. “There are a lot of moving parts in this project, lots of details because it’s a historical building, and we have been on budget and on time for everything, which is pretty remarkable considering all that’s involved.”

Other work on the building includes demolishing old duct work, measuring and getting ready for new HVAC equipment, working on sourcing light fixtures and extending an existing platform farther into the theater “to make room for executive seating and some bar tables and booths to create a little more homey atmosphere,” Holmen said.

Journey also is coordinating with Verum Technologies in Harrisburg to plan for sound and lighting systems, screens and curtains.

“And we’ll be replacing every window on the west facade and all the front doors below,” Holmen added.

“The existing windows are a French casement – they open like a bifold door – and they aren’t really made anymore, but we found a company that does. We think the windows will be here in January and February, and weather permitting, we’ll take them out one or two at a time through the winter. Then in the spring, we’ll tuck point the masonry and terra cotta to restore it to its original condition.”

This phase of the project was made possible with a $3.5 million gift from Denny Sanford and a $1.5 million contribution from the city of Sioux Falls.

Weiland has continued to work on fundraising, hoping for $2 million to $2.5 million for balcony seating plus a micro-cinema and concession area on the second floor.

“This is where I work, so I need to know if there’s going to be jackhammering or a lot of dust, and Journey has been great about keeping everyone in the loop,” she said. “We even made a little office on the second floor because they don’t want to dirty up our beautiful lobby. So it’s been nice to see that space come to life even though it’s not finished.”

There’s enough time built in so the artists aren’t rushed, the team said.

“It’s nice because I know they’ve worked really hard to get this up and running again,” Lienke said. “And to be part of the project where it’s actually going to be open to the public again is really exciting.”

Next steps will include bringing in steel in the next few weeks and taking aging smoke vents off the roof.

“We’re doing great with the schedule,” Holmen said. “We did a ton of planning on the front end, and the wheels are moving full force now.”

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Behind the curtain: State Theatre restoration takes shape  

“It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen in construction.” It’s part construction site, part art studio. Come with us for a fascinating look at what’s happening inside the State Theatre.

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