For the initially time since Circa ’21 Supper Playhouse opened in 1977, the exterior of the historic theater is having a detailed restoration.
Final week, employees from Davenport-primarily based E & H Restoration commenced securing the brick and mortar, and terra cotta of the 101-calendar year-previous developing at 1828 3rd Ave., Rock Island.
“We’ve done absolutely nothing with that due to the fact Denny bought the building in ’77,” Circa director of audience progress Brett Hitchcock stated Tuesday of proprietor/producer Denny Hitchcock. “This venture has been in the will work for some time.”
The do the job will get a pair months, which include any brick and terra cotta substitute. Davenport-dependent Russell Development also will be replacing the big 2nd-floor home windows, which are incredibly outdated and have been leaking air, Brett Hitchcock claimed.
“They’re not power-efficient,” he mentioned. “We have to be mindful that the making is on the National Register. We’ll be careful in how we exchange them. Russell will be working with the point out, keeping the glimpse of the constructing the exact same. Which is also a task that we have essential to do for rather some time.”
Even even though E & H is performing with a tall crane, they’ve been really great in generating sure tour buses and consumers have access to the theater entrance, Hitchcock reported.
Made by the Rock Island agency of Cervin & Horn and the Chicago firm of Brawn & Ermling in 1919 and 1920, Circa (previously the Fort Armstrong Theatre) is a 3-story Art Deco-design making confronted with Indian red brick and polychrome terra cotta.
The terra cotta was intended specifically for the theater by Rudolph Sandberg and produced by the Midland Terra Cotta Business of Chicago. The Fort Armstrong Theatre at first opened Jan. 19, 1921 at the peak of the silent-film period, with a seating capability of 1,566.
For additional information and facts on the constructing, click on Below.