The Arts Brad Gischia

the arts New view for the Vista

by Brad Gischia

With another winter beginning, many eyes are on the Vista Theater, which suffered a roof collapse just as plans for renovations were gaining traction in 2020.

The historic building now has to endure a second winter without a proper roof. Despite the setbacks, theater volunteers are confident the building will be making history for years to come.

“My hope is to have the full restoration done by 2026, when the building turns 100 years old,” said Rusty Bowers, Peninsula Arts and Appreciation Council (PAAC) board president.

Located in Downtown Negaunee, the Vista Theater has been an Iron Street staple since its opening in September 1926. It was the first theater in the nation to screen a Finnish language film, “Juin Uni Ja Varjo” in 1938. It spent the years after that as a movie house, and the proprietor, Jafet Rytkonen, opened two more theaters in neighboring Ishpeming, the Ishpeming Theater and the Butler.

According to their website, the Vista closed as an operational movie house in 1972. The following year, a group of citizens formed PAAC, which began using the theater for programs throughout the year, including films and stage plays, as well as musicals and art exhibits. The theater was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

Since then the Vista has been used almost primarily for PAAC productions.

In 2020, PAAC had a full schedule of events scheduled, but was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result there was little foot traffic through the Vista Building. That summer was wetter than usual.

It is suspected that one of the two roof drains became clogged with leaves, pine needles or other debris. An estimated 20,000 pounds of water began to back up on the dome roof of the auditorium, more than the roof was ever meant to support. On August 26, 2020, this increased strain caused the trusses to fail and brought the roof crashing down to the seating area below.

“I found out about the collapse about an hour after it happened,” said Bowers. “I was working at home in my office during COVID lockdown. My immediate response was one of shock.”

The collapse also brought down the electrical system that ran through the roof. The massive amount of water flooded the floor, ruining the heating system. This left the Vista Theater a box made of free-standing walls filled with roofing debris.

Bowers recalls that night.

“We met as a board on Zoom (that night) to talk about what had happened,” he said. “There was nothing we could do immediately. We got to see the damage from drone shots from a local TV station. I don’t think we really ever considered abandoning the building.”

Before making a decision on how to proceed, Bowers said the PAAC board held a Zoom town hall-style meeting with Negaunee residents.

“They expressed their love for the building and its history,” he said.

Eventually, the theater group hired Pitsch Demolition to clean out the interior of the building—to the tune of $60,000. Fortunately, the area from the stage to the rear of the building was relatively untouched, the same for that area at the Iron Street side of the building where the box office is.

The walls, 40 feet tall, have been braced with shoring units inside. The stage has been covered with a framework of thick plastic and wood to keep it weather-protected. The architect employed by PAAC ensures them that it will be OK for another winter.

How do you begin to fix something this big in the middle of a pandemic? The replacement roof will cost between $200,000 and $250,000. Bowers said there are grant monies available and PAAC is in the process of applying for it.

The area in front of and behind the Vista Theater in Negaunee was roped off after the partial roof collapse in 2020.

(Photo by Kristy Basolo-Malmsten)

PAAC has big ideas for the Vista. They’re looking at not only a new roof, but new electrical and HVAC systems. Because they’re basically starting from scratch on the inside, they’re looking at a complete remodel. Most of this will be grant funded, although they have an army of volunteers and interested businesses in the area, ready to help.

After the roof collapsed, PAAC held a can drive.

“I chose a can drive because I felt like that was something everyone could participate and assist in,” said Eliisa Gladwell, former PAAC board member, who helped coordinate the “Be A Star from Afar” fundraiser. “My thought was that just about anyone would be able to contribute in this way—which was obviously a greater success than we had even anticipated!”

The cans stacked up quickly as community members brought them to a trailer drop off site at Super One Foods in Negaunee.

“As of now we’ve returned about $30,000 worth of cans, and we still have a building full,” Bowers said.

There are also donations coming in, but the group still has a long way to go.

Before the roof collapse, PAAC received money from the Greater Ishpeming-Negaunee Chamber of Commerce and the City of Negaunee to hire Thomas Gerdom, an historic theater expert, who would create a business plan for them. That plan is still viable, according to Bowers. It includes showing movies in the theater, renovation of the annex building next door and bringing in outside groups to rent the space for shows while the PAAC group is rehearsing for their own shows in the annex.

The cost to achieve this plan is estimated between $2 and $3 million to complete. That’s a lot of cans.

Bowers and the rest of the PAAC volunteers are optimistic though. During the pandemic, they have been busy keeping their names in the community in many different ways. They do small shows around the area, Christmas caroling during Negaunee’s Tinseltown, organizing a 5K and recording an Orson Welles radio show that will be released soon. And they’re still counting cans.

“I remain optimistic in regards to fundraising and the Vista Theater as a whole,” Gladwell said. “The biggest thing I like to remind people is that anything helps. Any dollar amount you can donate is helpful. Any time that you give is appreciated. There is still a crew of us who are working very diligently to save the Vista Theater, and we can’t do it without your support.”

Bowers feels similarly.

“It’s a daunting task,” he said. “We’re all still committed to getting the building on track.”

To donate time or money to the Vista, visit www.vistatheater.org

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About the Author: Brad Gischia is a writer and artist native to Upper Michigan. He mixes his time between drawing funny books and writing.

The Vista has hosted may types of events in the past, including concerts by musical legends such as “Reb” Beach of Winger and Whitesnake fame. PAAC hopes a variety of events will return in the future.

(Photo by Kristy Basolo-Malmsten)