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Paramount Theatre examination steps up

By Tim Kenyon

City engineers will inspect the historic Paramount Theatre Building by mid-week to determine what kind of damage, if any, was done by flood water.

Scott Schoenike, VenueWorks executive director in charge of managing the U.S. Cellular Center, Paramount Theatre and Cedar Rapids Ice Arena, said Monday the building structure seems fine.

“There is no visual damage and the mortars seem fine, but it needs to be tested,” Schoenike said.

Contractors hired by the city of Cedar Rapids, which owns the three entertainment venues, continue to clean the theater after it sustained significant flood damage. So far, the basement has been pumped out and the remaining debris has been removed.

Workers cleaned the lower level, dressing rooms and stage Friday. They also have removed and disposed of the cloth seat cushions. The theatre's historic seat frames are still in place and being cleaned.

Schoenike said interior assessment will accelerate this week now that the water has been removed.

“We’ve had dehumidification units in there for about a week and half and we’ll continue to run them to keep the air temperature controlled,” he said.

The theatre, built in 1928, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It underwent a $7.8 million renovation in 2003. Damage known thus far includes the "Mighty Wurlitzer" organ being ruined, and most exterior glass and doors were cracked or blown out by the force of the floodwater.

Schoenike and his staff continue to work temporarily out of ice arena offices because of flood recovery work under way at their offices at the Cellular Center, four blocks northwest of the Paramount. The ticket office is also temporarily at the ice arena on Rockford Road SW, adjacent to Veterans Memorial Stadium, home to the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

“We’ve moved the box office to the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena and that is working out fine here. We even sold 1,000 tickets Saturday for the (Aug. 8) Taylor Swift concert at the Cellular Center,” he said.

Schoenike said future event representatives have been very supportive up to this point in considering scheduling options for both venues and listening to alternatives.

“Currently, they’ve been real good about that. We’re definitely doing well with it as far as events scheduled soon and later. They understand and are trying to work with us, including for example to make the Broadway series work in the arena. Their representatives are trying to bend to make it work,” he said.

“Some shows won’t work there so we’ll lose some shows, but we’re talking with the (Five Seasons) commission about some ideas to give it more a theater feel by getting some equipment in it to soften it up,” he said.

Alliant Energy crews and arena maintenance staff had restored electricity by 3 p.m. yesterday, according to the Cedar Rapids Downtown District web site.

The Cellular Center exterior cleaning project, in the works for more than a year, should start as scheduled July 7, he said.

Schoenike said replacement of the RoughRiders’ ice rink remains on schedule with concrete pouring set for the first week of August. That project should be finished before the team starts practice in mid-September.

The ice arena and large parking area also provided temporary space to the Cedar Rapids police and street departments and Iowa National Guard units during the flooding crisis.

Another Eastern Iowa VenuWorks-managed facility affected by flooding included the Adler Theatre in Davenport. Torrential rains in Davenport caused flash flooding in the downtown area. The Adler Theatre, renovated in 2007, sustained minor damage that will require plaster repair and a long-term review of the floor drains.

Tim Kenyon is a reporter for the Corridor Business Journal.