Five Flags Theater 100th Birthday Entryway Renovation Phase 1Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Five Flags Theater 100th Birthday Entryway Renovation Phase 1
DATE: September 1, 2010
November 16, 1910 was the date of the first performance in the Five Flags Theater.
November 2010 is the 100 birthday of the theater.
Sue Balsamo led a committee to improve the appearance of the theater entryway and
history boards. The committee has identified $43,427 in needed improvements. The
City has identified $23,000 in available funds for Phase I improvements and the
committee will attempt to raise $20,427 for Phase II improvements.
Leisure Services Manager Marie Ware is recommending moving ahead with the Phase 1
improvements at this time as part of the centennial celebration that will include a ribbon
cutting celebration. The year will also include National Public Radio's Michael
Feldman's Whad' ya Know show, the Three Magicians, John Berry Christmas, Jim
McDonough and, of course, the ever popular Dubuque Symphony Orchestra.
concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Marie L. Ware, Leisure Services Manager
Michael C. Van Milligen
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Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: Marie L. Ware, Leisure Services Manager
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
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SUBJECT: Five Flags Theater 100th Birthday Entryway Renovation Phase 1
DATE: August 30, 2010
The purpose of this memorandum is to recommend funding of Phase 1 Five Flags
Theater 100th Birthday Entryway Renovations.
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November 16, 1910 was the date of the first performance in the Five Flags Theater.
This November is the 100th birthday of the theater. A history of the theater is outlined
at http:// www. fiveflagscenter .com /history.html.
While attending a performance with her daughter, Sue Balsamo saw the tattered nature
of the history boards in the entryway of the theater. She was an active member of the
Five Flags Commission and organized and headed a very strong and active committee
working on what started out as a project to just update the history display in the front
entry of the theater. She is now off the Commission but is working to continue to finish
this project. As they progressed they came up with an overhaul of the entry area.
The project is divided into two phases. Highlights of the phased project feature:
Phase 1- estimated to cost $23,000
• Informational historic banners (the kind you see at trade shows that roll up like a
projector screen)
• UV coating for the windows
• Cabinetry that will be a serving area as well as hold a monitor for advertising
upcoming events and refrigeration
• Period looking trash and recycling receptacles
• Cushions for the window seat areas
• Reworking the inner lobby display box that shows the poster of the upcoming
event
• Framing Licciardi print and hopefully creating an art display area that could change
with the variety of art pieces Five Flags has.
Phase 2- estimated at $20,427
• Cabinetry that serves as coat storage during events
• New draperies on the doors and above the doors
• UV coating
Sue and her committee will be fundraising for Phase 2 of the project. They have
recently applied for a Mediacom grant and are seeking other grants and donations
appropriate for the project.
As a part of the birthday Joyce White and I will be setting up a ribbon cutting /birthday
cake celebration to commemorate the 100th. Joyce has also worked hard to put
together a great program of events for the 100th year including Iowa Public Radio's
Michael Feldman's Whad' ya Know, the Three Magicians, John Berry Christmas, Jim
McDonough and of course the ever popular Dubuque Symphony.
DISCUSSION
The Five Flags Theater is a treasured jewel of the community. Many individuals
stepped up to save the theater in the 70's. As the Theater turns 100 it is only fitting that
we commemorate this special time. The proposal not only honors the history but it also
enhances the visitor experience as they partake in activities at the Theater. The
exciting part of the project is that it is a citizen and Five Flags Commission led project.
They saw a need, involved experts from the community, researched the possibilities
and brought forward this proposal.
RECOMMENDATION
Jenny Larson, Budget Director and I have worked on the following plan to allow funding
of Phase 1.
CIP# 3501998 Five Flags Chairs Replacement savings $6,740
CIP# 1011863 Police Admin Remodel Savings $3,812
CIP# 1012278 RAGBRAI Reimbursement from the Chamber for police /fire
protection & other city services $12,448
ACTION REQUESTED
I request approval of the recommendation to fund Phase 1.
MLW
This area would have to informational banners that would be movable and contain the
history. It would also have a built in back bar similar in style to the newer ticket desk
below. A monitor/TV would be installed as a part of the built in cabinetry that would
advertise upcoming events.
In phase two the donor plaques from the restoration campaign would be moved and this
area turned in to a coat check area. Currently they use roll out racks which are hard to
manage and the sloping floor. You can see the trash bin that would be replaced with a
more period looking piece. Phase two would also include replacing the curtains seen
on the doors at the left of this photo.
Five Flags Theatre Lobby Project Committee Members
2010
Sue Balsamo, Center Commissioner
Ellen Henkels, Artist and Teacher
Barb Kurt, Civic Center Commissioner
Ali Levasseur, Civic Center Staff Member, Artist
Wayne McDermott, Designer, National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium
Christi Monk, Architect
Heather Norman, Attorney
Jan Stoffel, Arts and Cultural Affairs Coordinator - City of Dubuque
Joyce White, General Manager of Five Flags