Theatre Renovation

Northwood theater renovation continues

By DEB NICKLAY, deb.nicklay@globegazette.com

People check out the progress of renovation of the J.B. Thompson building, soon-to-be home of the movie theater in Northwood. Residents have not had a movie theater in the community since 1960.

DEB NICKLAY/The Globe Gazette

NORTHWOOD -- The smell of popcorn and fresh wood shavings combined to welcome residents checking the renovation of a historic building that will some day house a movie theater.

On Wednesday, walking on a plywood floor and between yet-to-be-drywalled frames, citizens got a sense of how the theater will look once the J.B. Thompson building is restored.

"We still have a lot of fundraising to do, but we wanted everyone to see what's been going on," said Tanna Moretz on Wednesday. Moretz is the head of Total United Northwood Effort (TUNE), a community betterment group that has spearheaded the effort to re-establish a movie theater while preserving part of the city's past.

Most in town remember the building as the former home of Fallgatter's Grocery. A general store was its first occupant when it was built in 1891.

"It'll be nice to get this done since it was something of an eyesore for a long time," said Elaine Olson of Northwood.

The work, funded by donation, has been extensive. About $125,000 has been raised with the help of several organizations and foundations, including the Worth County Development Authority. Another $200,000 still needs to be raised, Moretz said.

"We'd like to see that happen (open) this year, during the town's sesquicentennial," Moretz said, but added that might be too much to hope for.

Seventeen large windows have been installed, the roof replaced and exterior tuck-pointed.

The basement floor was also cemented and a new main floor constructed. Bill Nicholson and Universal Contractors Inc. are overseeing the work.

Still to come is completion of plumbing, heating and air conditioning ($51,000), electrical wiring, lights and fans ($26,000), walls, cabinets and floors ($48,500), cinema equipment and lighting and curtains ($65,000). Space for two apartments is on the second floor.

A PowerPoint presentation of the building's history and renovation work continually played in the area in which the movie screen would be located.

"It's all very interesting," said Ken Block, who sat and munched popcorn from a mobile machine brought in to treat the visitors. "It's an expensive renovation for this corner, but when you figure the cost of demolition, this made some real sense."

Ann Johnson said a movie theater -- Northwood has been without one since 1960 -- is a good move for the city.

"It's wholesome entertainment for the kids, and keeps kids in town -- and with gas prices the way they are, it's also cheaper than taking a date 18 miles down the road."

TUNE got a treat earlier in the week when it pulled the facade from the building to uncover decorative cast iron poles used originally as anchors for old front windows.

"We were hoping they were there but weren't sure," said Moretz. She said with that discovery, windows similar to the originals can be made and installed so the front entrance looks like it did when it was built.

The theater will also be outfitted with the Northwood Theater's original seats, which were used by the Northwood-Kensett schools for many years.

As part of the downtown revitalization effort, TUNE is restoring one of the buildings that anchors Northwood's main intersection and business district--the J.B. Thompson building. This building was constructed in 1891 as a general store with a bakery located in the basement. It housed various businesses over time but has been vacant for 20 years. In 2003, TUNE purchased the building for $1.00 knowing that restoring it was a very ambitious undertaking. Monetary and physical labor donations have enabled the TUNE board of directors to replace the roof, restore and repair the brick façade, gut the interior, and replace the upstairs windows. With a very generous ($125,000.00) grant from the Worth County Development Authority and township trustees, 2008 began with the pouring of the basement floor, framework for the main floor, and construction of the restrooms, projection room, and auditorium for Northwood's new movie theatre that will occupy the main floor of this historic building.