The latest upgrades to the Orpheum Theater will be unveiled today when it re-opens in downtown Sioux Falls, and the enhancements should give visitors a sense of what the venue looked like when it opened in 1913.
New seats in the historic theater are styled from the era, and improvements also include Vaudeville-like designed carpet and different shades of fresh paint accenting the turn-of-the-century architecture inside.
The theater's rebirth reflects a five-year trend in downtown Sioux Falls as several other historic building restoration projects continue, including improvements at the State Theatre and the Coliseum.
There's a free open house at the Orpheum today, and ticketed special events precede a Spooncat! concert Friday night at the city-owned theater on Phillips Avenue.
The new, period-correct seats have plush cushions, wood backs and black wrought-iron bases, replacing the orange-cushion and plastic-backed '70s movie-theater seating.
The theater was open and in use during the five years it took to finish many improvements, including a new roof and replacement of electrical, fire-suppression, sound and lighting systems, says Russ DeCurtins, general manager of SMG, the company that runs the Orpheum and the Sioux Falls Arena for the city.
Sioux Falls paid about $2.5 million toward improvements since 2004, he says, with hundreds of thousands more coming from grants and contributions, including the finished courtyard donated by Lloyd Cos.
"We now recognize that historic structures are assets to the community, and it's in our best interest not to remove them," says Erica Beck, senior planner for the Sioux Falls Planning and Building Services Department.
The Orpheum is home to Sioux Empire Community Theatre's dramatic and musical shows, Sioux Falls Jazz and Blues Society concerts and 200 other dates booked by other groups using the facility during the next year, DeCurtins says.
The Coliseum
It took time, but even some elected officials who had opposed pumping money into old buildings have changed their minds.
Minnehaha County Commissioner Carol Twedt says she's pleased with improvements at the county-owned Coliseum at Fifth Street and Main Avenue, built in 1917.
"I actually voted to tear that building down a decade ago, and I've been working ever since to restore it," Twedt says. "It's going to be beautiful."
Roofing and gable restoration work, a $548,000 project, now is being completed, says Ken McFarland, the county's administrative officer. It's paid through a variety of grants and county funding.
The canopy was restored a year ago, and last month the final phases of tuck-pointing and stone cleaning was done along with re-framing and re-installation of stained glass windows on the south side of the building.
Now home to the Multi-Cultural Center, the Coliseum nearly was demolished when a portion of the ceiling fell in February 1994. The city sold it to the county for $1 with intentions of adding the land to its downtown administrative campus, McFarland says.
The commission voted to tear it down, but the issue was referred to a public vote and the building was saved in 2001.
In summer 2002, the county, city and state signed a joint-powers agreement and began to remodel the historic structure, which has been visited by several U.S. presidents.
The Coliseum includes a huge restored wooden-floor auditorium that once hosted all large community events.
State Theatre
The State Theatre, a victim of age, neglect, a downtown fire and several false starts in renovation plans and ownership since it was built in 1926, finally is making headway toward a full restoration.
The fire, in May 1991, destroyed the former Hanson Building next door and caused smoke and water damage to the State Theatre.
Owned by the nonprofit Sioux Falls State Theatre Co., the roof was replaced, the front of the building restored and the landmark sign restored and often lighted at night.
Now work begins on the lobby and first phase of the main auditorium, says Stacy Newcomb Weiland, the State's project director.
The theater is close to reaching its Phase One goal of raising $500,000 to restore the front lobby. The money so far has been collected from individual and in-kind contributions, and public and private grants.
"A huge job finished this summer was removing all the asbestos used to insulate throughout the theater," Newcomb Weiland says. While Phillips Avenue was torn up this summer, the old system of routing rainwater into the sanitary sewer was re-routed into the storm sewer system, she says.
Phase II, using the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce's help toward $2.2 million, is a planned $2.8 million development campaign to restore the theater with fully digital movie-showing technology and open 500 seats to the public as a film theater by 2011.
Restoring the State's original organ comes under a Phase III plan for 2011-2012, another $2.4 million development campaign to also improve the stage area, upper offices and balcony.
Orpheum Theater
Beck hopes people visiting the revamped Orpheum Theater today and Friday will notice the careful attention to use of materials, carpet and even paint colors that show off the architectural elements.
Originally a Vaudeville hall, the theater is a great place for a concert, play or other event, says musician Jeremy Hegg. One of his bands, Spooncat!, plays Friday, the first show after renovations.
"Places sometimes sound like they look, and to me the Orpheum sounds like an intimate yet important space," Hegg says. His band Radio Specialists packed the hall in May 2008 with a dozen musicians on stage.
Beck says the historic theater will see a lot more activity now that it's a more comfortable space.
"The Orpheum improvements, and other restoration projects, all are good for downtown, both from a historic preservation perspective and from an economic development perspective," she says.
"People love to see these finished projects and enjoy events there," Beck says. "So, we're very excited that these projects all are moving forward."
Reach reporter Jay Kirschenmann at 331-2312.
Minnehaha County Commissioner Carol Twedt says she's pleased with improvements at the county-owned Coliseum at Fifth Street and Main Avenue, built in 1917.
"I actually voted to tear that building down a decade ago, and I've been working ever since to restore it," Twedt says. "It's going to be beautiful."
Roofing and gable restoration work, a $548,000 project, now is being completed, says Ken McFarland, the county's administrative officer. It's paid through a variety of grants and county funding.
The canopy was restored a year ago, and last month the final phases of tuck-pointing and stone cleaning was done along with re-framing and re-installation of stained glass windows on the south side of the building.
Now home to the Multi-Cultural Center, the Coliseum nearly was demolished when a portion of the ceiling fell in February 1994. The city sold it to the county for $1 with intentions of adding the land to its downtown administrative campus, McFarland says.
The commission voted to tear it down, but the issue was referred to a public vote and the building was saved in 2001.
In summer 2002, the county, city and state signed a joint-powers agreement and began to remodel the historic structure, which has been visited by several U.S. presidents.
The Coliseum includes a huge restored wooden-floor auditorium that once hosted all large community events.
State Theatre
The State Theatre, a victim of age, neglect, a downtown fire and several false starts in renovation plans and ownership since it was built in 1926, finally is making headway toward a full restoration.
The fire, in May 1991, destroyed the former Hanson Building next door and caused smoke and water damage to the State Theatre.
Owned by the nonprofit Sioux Falls State Theatre Co., the roof was replaced, the front of the building restored and the landmark sign restored and often lighted at night.
Now work begins on the lobby and first phase of the main auditorium, says Stacy Newcomb Weiland, the State's project director.
The theater is close to reaching its Phase One goal of raising $500,000 to restore the front lobby. The money so far has been collected from individual and in-kind contributions, and public and private grants.
"A huge job finished this summer was removing all the asbestos used to insulate throughout the theater," Newcomb Weiland says. While Phillips Avenue was torn up this summer, the old system of routing rainwater into the sanitary sewer was re-routed into the storm sewer system, she says.
Phase II, using the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce's help toward $2.2 million, is a planned $2.8 million development campaign to restore the theater with fully digital movie-showing technology and open 500 seats to the public as a film theater by 2011.
Restoring the State's original organ comes under a Phase III plan for 2011-2012, another $2.4 million development campaign to also improve the stage area, upper offices and balcony.
Orpheum Theater
Beck hopes people visiting the revamped Orpheum Theater today and Friday will notice the careful attention to use of materials, carpet and even paint colors that show off the architectural elements.
Originally a Vaudeville hall, the theater is a great place for a concert, play or other event, says musician Jeremy Hegg. One of his bands, Spooncat!, plays Friday, the first show after renovations.
"Places sometimes sound like they look, and to me the Orpheum sounds like an intimate yet important space," Hegg says. His band Radio Specialists packed the hall in May 2008 with a dozen musicians on stage.
Beck says the historic theater will see a lot more activity now that it's a more comfortable space.
"The Orpheum improvements, and other restoration projects, all are good for downtown, both from a historic preservation perspective and from an economic development perspective," she says.
"People love to see these finished projects and enjoy events there," Beck says. "So, we're very excited that these projects all are moving forward."
Reach reporter Jay Kirschenmann at 331-2312.
Minnehaha County Commissioner Carol Twedt says she's pleased with improvements at the county-owned Coliseum at Fifth Street and Main Avenue, built in 1917.
"I actually voted to tear that building down a decade ago, and I've been working ever since to restore it," Twedt says. "It's going to be beautiful."
Roofing and gable restoration work, a $548,000 project, now is being completed, says Ken McFarland, the county's administrative officer. It's paid through a variety of grants and county funding.
The canopy was restored a year ago, and last month the final phases of tuck-pointing and stone cleaning was done along with re-framing and re-installation of stained glass windows on the south side of the building.
Now home to the Multi-Cultural Center, the Coliseum nearly was demolished when a portion of the ceiling fell in February 1994. The city sold it to the county for $1 with intentions of adding the land to its downtown administrative campus, McFarland says.
The commission voted to tear it down, but the issue was referred to a public vote and the building was saved in 2001.
In summer 2002, the county, city and state signed a joint-powers agreement and began to remodel the historic structure, which has been visited by several U.S. presidents.
The Coliseum includes a huge restored wooden-floor auditorium that once hosted all large community events.
State Theater
The State Theatre, a victim of age, neglect, a downtown fire and several false starts in renovation plans and ownership since it was built in 1926, finally is making headway toward a full restoration.
The fire, in May 1991, destroyed the former Hanson Building next door and caused smoke and water damage to the State Theatre.
Owned by the nonprofit Sioux Falls State Theatre Co., the roof was replaced, the front of the building restored and the landmark sign restored and often lighted at night.
Now work begins on the lobby and first phase of the main auditorium, says Stacy Newcomb Weiland, the State's project director.
The theater is close to reaching its Phase One goal of raising $500,000 to restore the front lobby. The money so far has been collected from individual and in-kind contributions, and public and private grants.
"A huge job finished this summer was removing all the asbestos used to insulate throughout the theater," Newcomb Weiland says. While Phillips Avenue was torn up this summer, the old system of routing rainwater into the sanitary sewer was re-routed into the storm sewer system, she says.
Phase II, using the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce's help toward $2.2 million, is a planned $2.8 million development campaign to restore the theater with fully digital movie-showing technology and open 500 seats to the public as a film theater by 2011.
Restoring the State's original organ comes under a Phase III plan for 2011-2012, another $2.4 million development campaign to also improve the stage area, upper offices and balcony.
Orpheum Theater
Beck hopes people visiting the revamped Orpheum Theater today and Friday will notice the careful attention to use of materials, carpet and even paint colors that show off the architectural elements.
Originally a Vaudeville hall, the theater is a great place for a concert, play or other event, says musician Jeremy Hegg. One of his bands, Spooncat!, plays Friday, the first show after renovations.
"Places sometimes sound like they look, and to me the Orpheum sounds like an intimate yet important space," Hegg says. His band Radio Specialists packed the hall in May 2008 with a dozen musicians on stage.
Beck says the historic theater will see a lot more activity now that it's a more comfortable space.
"The Orpheum improvements, and other restoration projects, all are good for downtown, both from a historic preservation perspective and from an economic development perspective," she says.
"People love to see these finished projects and enjoy events there," Beck says. "So, we're very excited that these projects all are moving forward."
Orpheum Theater
The Sioux Falls City Council voted to buy the Orpheum Theater for $475,000 in 2000, when the owner, the Sioux Falls Community Playhouse, was in financial trouble. The theater group folded in 2003 after 72 years in business.
In September 2003, the Orpheum Transition Board recommended that the city accept the SMG company's proposal to manage the 1913 theater under the city's existing contract with SMG's Sioux Falls Arena contract.
There were eight bookings in the theater that year, compared to more than 200 rentals set for 2009, says Russ DeCurtins, SMG general manager.
Many small renovation projects were done right away, he says, with priority repairs such as the roof finished first to protect the structure.
The city has spent about $2.5 million toward restoration since 2004, with more money used from various grants and donations for improvements including the finished interior courtyard space donated by Lloyd Cos.
Major improvements during the past five years:
