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The Lyric Center for the Arts building is located at 510 - 514 Chestnut
Street, Virginia, Minnesota, an Historic Downtown District listed on the
National Register. The structure was built in 1912 by a group of Virginia
businessmen, H. J. Sigel, J. A. Kennedy, and D. W. Elmquist. Existing original
drawings show the architects as Ellerby, Round and Sullivan with an office
location in the Palladio Building, Duluth, Minnesota. Then known as the Lyric
Opera House, it was designed to have a theater seating upward of 700 people, two
store fronts, and second floor offices and ballroom/gymnasium. Early on, the
ballroom doubled as the local YMCA as well as housing a local radio station. An
apartment on the second floor provided living space for the building manager and
family.
"The estimated cost of the building, which will be one of the handsomest in
the city and unquestionably the best appointed opera house on the range, will be
$50,000, and we feel that the faith of the promoters in the erection of such a
playhouse for Virginia is well placed, believing the investment will be found a
profitable one." (A quote from the October 6, 1911, Virginia Enterprise.) In
time, the Lyric began to book vaudeville acts and was on a major vaudeville
circuit extending from Milwaukee to Minneapolis, Duluth, Virginia, and then on
to Winnipeg, Canada. The Lyric Opera House moved into the 1920's showing a
mixture of opera, musicals, plays and films.
The building underwent an Art Deco remodelling during the 1930's after
being purchased by Paramount Theaters. The name was also changed to the State
Theater with a new marquee installed to reflect that change, and the
entertainment format became primarily movies. Remodelling drawings by Liebenberg
& Kaplan of Minneapolis (designers of Virginia's Maco Theater and many other
elegant midwest theaters) have been obtained from the University of Minnesota
Architectural Archives.
In 1955 the State Theater ceased showing films and in 1961 the marquee was
removed. While the theater portion of the building sat unused, the front area of
the facility continued to house retail operations, and the ballroom and bar area
were home to the local VFW. In 1997, neighbouring businesses proposed to
demolish the building in order to provide additional parking space. Artspace
Projects, Inc. of Minneapolis toured the building and felt it was worthy of
restoring.
The Laurentian Arts and Culture Alliance (LACA) was incorporated in March
of 1998 after approaching the current owner of the building with the idea of
purchase and restoration. After the parking lot proposal fell through, LACA
purchased the building. In 1999 a structural report was completed by Stuart
Anderson Professional Engineering Service. In 2000 a reuse study was undertaken
under the direction of the Minnesota Historical Society Preservation
Consultation Team, lead by Thomas R. Zahn & Associates. Since that study was
completed, LACA has held ideation sessions inviting local artists, business
people and elected officials to express their ideas for reuse of this building,
participated in sessions with the
League of Historic American Theaters and other organizations involved in
similar projects. As a result of these collaborative efforts, the facility name
has been changed to the Lyric Center for the Arts and on completion of
renovation, will become a multi-purpose facility for theatrical productions,
lectures, exhibit and teaching spaces, as well as ballroom and meeting space.
- 1910, the Lyric Opera Company was formed in Virginia, Minnesota.
- 1911, the building known as the Lyric Opera House was designed
by Ellerbe, Round and Sullivan under commission of H.J. Sigel, J.A. Kennedy and
D.W. Elmquist.
- February 2, 1912, The Lyric Theater opened and sold out all seats and
standing room in 8 hours. The Lyric Theater was called “a notable addition to
the metropolitan development of Virginia”. The most beautiful thing that still
exists is the fire curtain. This asbestos curtain was state of the art and a
spectacle to the theater goers in its time. The Lyric Theater even had its own
orchestra with O.R. Olson as musical director. The second floor ballroom doubled
as the YMCA and also housed the local radio station.
- 1919, The Marcus Loewe Vaudeville circuit, very popular in
Virginia, could be seen at the Lyric Theater (Virginia Area Historical Society).
It is known that the vaudeville circuit extended from Milwaukee to Minneapolis,
to Duluth, Virginia, and then on to Winnipeg, Canada. A time table for the
nearby train station has a note stating that the train will be held after the
Saturday performances so that all performers can make it to the station before
the train departed for Winnipeg.
- 1930’s, the theater and lobby came under the management of
Paramount Studios and underwent a major remodeling. During the conversion it
lost its interior classical feeling and never quite achieved the integrated
modern style common in motion picture theaters constructed during the period
(Virginia Area Historical Society).
- 1955, the theater closed its doors and became storage.
Eventually, the lobby area was merged with adjacent retail space.
- 1961, the marquee was removed
- 1998, the building was slated for demotion when the Laurentian
Arts and Culture Alliance was formed and purchased the building with
contributions for local citizens and businesses.
- 2000, a reuse study was done with funding from the Minnesota
Historical Society.
- 2004, Hammel, Green and Abrahamson, architects were hired to
develop concept designs.
- 2006, LACA completed remodeling of a small portion of the
facility and opened The First Stage gallery and performance space, which is
extensively utilized for
small performances, art exhibits, classes and meeting space.
- 2009, concept design work for the renovated Lyric
Center for the Arts is completed.
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