Letter on Question and Answer Sheets and Time Magazine Article on Cultural Centers_01.04.1972Iry�J
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EXECUTIVE a A. Freon
Robert J, Dy(
George A. Freon
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Donald B. Gra
Mrs, F. Benjamin Meari
Wayne A. Norma
Robert W. Rand
La Verne J. Scheabor
Gent W
oodwer
William Woodwor
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GENERAL CHAIRMAP
Dear Friends of Five Flags:
Wayne A. Narmai
ADVANCE GIFT CHAIRMAP
Robert J. Dye
We have heard
overwhelmingly
favorable
ADVANCE GIFT COMMITTEE
Frank H. Bertsct
comments
concerningour
C.
December 13th
Evening at the
Theater Program and
we want to take
J. Buelov
Dr. Gaylord M Couchmar
George e. A. Fi,i Igei
Charles A. Fireunc
George A. Freunc
this opportunity
to especially
thank each of you
for your part in
William R. Janser
Roland E. Kennedy
Charles Ki nt
William
K,u,.m G. Kruse
making the occasion
the success that it surely was. The Five
Paul J. L H. L M.D.
Duane M Ludwig
Duane J. on
Roger A. Ott, M.D.
Ott, .D,
Roger J. Rhomberg
Flags Civic Center concept is now officially launched and we look Joseph .J. Schmitt
Joseph R. Schmitt
forward to sharing Progress in all phases of the
Hrm Ur N. IraUSCn, Jr.
Allen
campaign and
GorgeA°Welling
William Woodward
project planning with you in the immediate weeks ahead.
Marvin W. Whitlow
Harvey N, zackerman
SPECIAL GIFT CHAIRMAN
Norman R. Foreman
We are presently completing work on our printed materials which
SPECIAL GIFT
ASSOCIATE CHAIRMAN
Thomas E. Graham
will include the enclosed Question & Answer Sheets. If have
Frank T. Hardie
Keith W. Sheehy
you
y
SPECIAL GIFT
questions, comments or suggestions concerning this material we
DIVISION LEADERS
Barton P. Brown
f
David L. Clemens
would appreciate your conveying them to the campaign office soArnoldPatrG.
Gerald E. Critz
Fleming
Arnold N. Honkamp
Dayton G. Howe
that we may act upon them. Representing a community endeavor
Jerry R, Kenline
esreA Kessler
William Kraus
r
Michael Mcc Cauley
the Five Flags Civic Center proposal is in
Joseph
ph Pickett
E. Schmidt
every concerned
EdwThomas
ard H. Sheppley III
citizen's domain.
GENERAL GIFT CO-CHAIRMEN
Mrs. George Broodwoter
Frail N. Stackis
EDUCATION COMMITTEE
In the event that you missed it we are also enclosing an article
Msgr. Francis P. Fried[
Robert) Giroux
Rev. Kevin O'Rourke
urke
Walter S. Peterson
Rev. Harold Rlgney, S V.D.
which appeared in Time magazine and relates to our project nation-
Dr w Sibley Towner
Dr. Wi H. Weiblen
mly
Garlyn H. Wessel
ally. We think you Will find It interesting.
Wayne Drexler
ARRANGEMENTS COMMITTEE
Mrs. Henry B. Miller, Chmn.
Mrs, Ellen P. Brown
Mrs. F. Bomar -in Merritt
Again, your help is deeply appreciated.
PUBLICITY CHAIRMAN
Donovan O. Leopold
TREASURER
William Woodward
ASSISTANT TREASURER
The Five Flags Civic Center Executive Committee
Mrs. Estelle Airier,
AUDITOR
Ralph K. Brooks
NATIONAL CONSULTANTS
Richard P. Bissell
Raymond T. Forsberg
Charles Geroux
Denys Peter Myers
1/4/72
r
661 Fischer Bldg E,Dubuque, Iowa 52001 • 556-6331
ABOUT THE FIVE FLAGS CIVIC CENTER
DOES DUBUQUE NEED A CIVIC CENTER?
The need has been evident for many years and has been documented in a
recent Real Estate Research study which is available for review.
IS THE PROPOSED LOCATION A SUITABLE ONE?
According to Real Estate Research Corporation the urban renewal land on
which the proposed convention center is to be located is well suited due
to the following reasons:
a. The compact form of the Dubuque urban area places the majority of
the city's population within three miles of the site.
b. The location at the south end of the urban renewal area will benefit
from the rejuvenation of the downtown area and the interest generated
by the pedestrian mall which will terminate at the site of the Civic
Center.
c. The location of the proposed Civic Center is readily accessible to
all areas of Dubuque in that the major traffic arteries serving the
city and its market region converge and cross in the vicinity of
the site.
d. The site is well located with regard to the supply of transient
accommodations.
e. The site adjoining the Orpheum Theater is also well positioned in
regard to existing parking facilities. In addition to proposed
on -site parking provisions, there are 750 parking spaces in the
municipally operated ramps, both located within a four -block walk
of the subject site.
IS THE ORPHEUM THEATER WORTH SAVING?
Architects and restoration consultants report that not only is the Orpheum
structure a sound one but that, "The building has great potential as a pre-
servable example of its period. It is an ornament to the city and has an
outstandingly attractive interior. Most important, it has a potentially
viable future as a theater and concert hall of historic importance in
connection with the proposed civic center, since there is a large legiti-
mate stage and the accoustics are reported to be excellent."
WHAT IS THE COST OF THE RENOVATION OF THE THEATER?
The cost of renovating the Orpheum is estimated at $165,000. To replace
the theater today would take well over $1,000,000 even assuming that the
craftsmanship of architectural detail could be duplicated. Therefore, the
Five Flags Civic Center as proposed not only preserves a building of
historic and architectural distinction but eliminates the cost of construc-
ting a new auditorium -theater type facility.
Page 2
WHAT IS THE ESTIMATED TOTAL PROJECT COST?
The total estimated cost of the project is $1.3 million as itemized:
Public Use C Arts Building $ 700,000
Theater Restoration 700,000
Equipment Site 110,000
Site Improvements 200,000
Administrative Expenses 60,000
65,000
TOTAL $1,300,000
WHO WILL OWN AND ADMINISTER THE CIVIC CENTER?
It is intended that the Center be built with private funds raised by total
community participation and upon completion will be deeded to the City of
Dubuque to be operated for the public good by a City Council appointed
commission.
WILL IT TAKE TAX DOLLARS?
Real Estate Research reports that the Center can be self-supporting, how-
ever, the City Council will decide in the future whether any tax support
would be available.
WHEN WILL CONSTRUCTION BEGIN?
Present plans call for construction to begin in late 1972 or early 1973.
An architectural firm will be retained when the fund raising has been
successfully completed.
DOES THE FIVE FLAGS CIVIC CENTER CONCEPT HAVE COMMUNITY ENDORSEMENT?
The Five Flags Council represents a cross-section of community leaders
who have endorsed the project and agreed to serve in an advisory capacity.
Key campaign leadership has been enrolled and is listed herein. The
concept has also been endorsed by the Dubuque Art Association, the Dubuque
Historical Society, the Dubuque Symphony and the Tri-College Cooperative
Effort Education Committee.
Further, City Council Resolution No. 363-71, December 6, 1971 declares as
follows:
"Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Dubuque, Iowa:
Section 1. That the Five Flags Center Project is looked upon with favor
by the City Council of the City of Dubuque and is recommended to the entire
community as worthy of its support to provide a facility which would
enhance the cultural and citizen participation potential of the community
and surrounding areas to match and balance the current industrial,
commercial, academic and economic growth of the Dubuque Metropolitan area."
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PITTSBURGH'S HEINZ HALL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Recycled Centers
There are two ways for a city to ac-
quire a cultural center. One is to clear
a downtown neighborhood and erect
an entire.new complex —at a tremendous
expenditure of money, time and public
inconvenience. New York's Lincoln Cen-
ter cost $184 million, took ten years to
complete, and disrupted traffic and res-
idential life over a 14-acre area for
much of that time. The other way is to
take an existing theater, such as an aban-
doned movie palace, and simply re-
furbish it. This more modest method
may produce less grand results, butit
is cheaper, quicker and less traumatic
for the surrounding community.
In recent years several cities —frus-
trated by inadequate, outdated facilities
but pressed for funds and space —have
turned to the second way. St. Louis con-
verted an old Loew's Orpheum into Pow-
ell Hall, now the home of the St. Louis
Symphony. Youngstown, Ohio, adapted
the former Warner Theater not only for
its symphony orchestra but for new op-
era and ballet companies. Similar
projects have been carried out in Hous-
ton and Los Angeles, and Cedar Rapids,
Iowa, iseagerlyinvestigating the idea.
Good Throw. Most impressive of all
these recycled centers is Pittsburgh's
Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts. It
-stands on prime real estate, in the so-
called Golden Triangle area, just at the
point where the Allegheny and Monon-
gahela rivers meet to form the Ohio. The
former Penn (movie) Theater, it was re-
claimed from the wreckers in 1968 for
$800,000, then remodeled for around.
$10 million in only 15 months, Since its
opening last fall, Heinz Hall has become
the focal point of an energetic renais-
sance of Pittsburgh's artistic life. It is in
regular use by the Pittsburgh Opera, Civ-
ic Light Opera, Pittsburgh Ballet, Pitts-
burgh Youth Symphony, and its owner
and principal constituent, the wood -class
Pittsburgh Symphony under Conductor
William Steinberg.
TIME, DECEMBER 27, 1971 -
Last week Steinberg led the orchestra
through a program of Shostakovich and
Mozart that, besides being musically re-
warding, demonstrated that the audi-
torium is an acoustical gem. Heinz Hall
has what is called a good throw. Its
sound reaches the audience in smooth,
vibrant, evenly distributed waves. Ger-
man Acoustician Heinrich Keilholz re-
moved a lot of old velvet, surrounded
the stage with reflector panels (remov-
able for opera and ballet), then hung a
larger, fan -shaped reflector out over the
main floor. "In the old days," says Stein-
berg, "Pittsburghers had no way of tell-
ing what their orchestra really sounded
like. To find out, they had to go hear
us play in Carnegie Hall in New York."
Hot Ticket. The old days meant a
great barn of a place called the Syria
Mosque, where the only thing murkier
than the sound was the drab walls. By
contrast, Heinz Hall is a gay neo-Ba-
roque extravaganza of red, white and
gold. Its roomy halls and stairways
exude an old-world charm seldom
equaled by more up-to-date structures
of glass and steel. As is typical of old
movie theaters, there is not a- single
seat with a bad sight line —more than
can be said for the Concert Hall in Wash-
ington's new Kennedy Center.
As its name implies, Heinz Hall owes
its existence primarily to one man, Hen-
ry J. Heinz II (ketchup and 56 other va-
rieties). In the early 1960s, Conductor
Steinberg and Orchestra President
Charles Denby seriously considered an
ambitious, multibuilding cultural com-
plex, then ruled it out because of the es-
timated cost of $ l9 million. Deciding it
would be better to spend part of that
sum refurbishing the Penn Theater and
channel the rest into an orchestral en-
dowment, they put the scheme to Heinz.
He virtually opened the family coffers
to the project. Today the Pittsburgh
Symphony has an endowment of $22
million, the largest of any orchestra in
the nation.
In its new setting, the orchestra is
the hottest ticket in town —save per-
haps for the world -champion Pittsburgh
Pirates. The entire current season (48
concerts) is sold out by subscriptiory
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