Repair Update- January 3
Construction progress continues on schedule, and it’s really at a pretty impressive point. Were you to climb the scaffold to the “dance floor” (a work platform that spans the entire auditorium, 7 feet below the ceiling line), you’d find the rafters completely exposed, as the deficient ceiling plaster and framing has been completely removed. The seven rafters which support the roof structure have been jacked into their original positions- in some places, a rise in excess of six inches. With the rafters restored to their proper position, the contactors at Boldt Construction have begun the process of reinforcing them for the next hundred-plus years. Each truss is sandwiched between two steel trusses, which are assembled on each side of the original truss and bolted into place. Once two adjacent trusses are reinforced, the new attic floor/auditorium ceiling joists are put into place. The work proceeds from the back of the auditorium working towards the stage and is very methodical.
It’s a pretty incredible sight. At the moment, the original soffits (we’d know them as the maroon and green “beams” in the ceiling) are in their deflected state…..and when you look at the gap between the soffits and the now-restored trusses, and realize that they were once attached, it really brings home the point that this was a much needed repair!
Even though we are still in the earlier parts of this project, there is other finish work in progress. Laib Restoration will be handling the restoration/repair of the soffits, and Conrad Schmitt Studios will be restoring the painted elements in the ceiling and coves. Grand Opera House staff is working closely with city officials and the contractors and engineer, so that we can try to anticipate any operational improvements that can be generated as part of this repair.
In the meantime, we’ve begun to prepare for what will be an emotional re-opening sometime in Fall 2010. The Top 100 survey began this weekend and continues through January (see prior post), and we’re beginning to discuss how to work with all the local “arts partners” who call The Grand home, and to plan each of their homecomings in 2010-11.
Photos of the beginning of this process are now posted on The Grand’s Facebook site and are accessible to all- just paste the following address into your browser-
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=134282&id=14194284398&l=41da819417
