It will become a cultural center for immigrants and refugees
By Kevin Kilbane
From The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel
Old plaster has been pounded and chiseled free from red brick walls. Water-damaged drop ceilings have been ripped out. Office wall partitions have been removed upstairs, creating a large open space.
The Rialto Theater may not look much different on the outside. But a two-story pile of rubble and debris on the inside attests to what has been accomplished so far in the effort to reclaim the architectural gem. Once one of the city's grand neighborhood theaters, it fell on hard times in the 1970s and early 1980s, closing its career as a porn theater.
"We don't have a total on man-hours that have been donated, but it has been staggering," said Joe Johns, director of cross-cultural programming for the Reclamation Project.
The nonprofit organization began work in late 2003 to acquire the 1920s-era theater in the 2600 block of South Calhoun Street. The goal is to transform it into a café and cultural center serving the needs of Fort Wayne's immigrant and refugee communities.
"It will be a bridge from the old Fort Wayne community to the new Fort Wayne community," Johns said.
New immigrants and refugees can become a huge asset for the city, he said.
Most of those who have settled here in recent years are very bright and motivated to build new lives, he said. They are hard-working, honest and have the drive to open their own businesses, he said.
They also bring arts, crafts and other aspects of their native culture that can enrich the lives of people in Fort Wayne, Johns said.
"They help us understand the world a little bit better and to get outside our world," he added.
The actual bricks-and-mortar work on renovating the theater has gone a little slower than expected, however, said Kristie Jacobson, the Reclamation Project's executive director.
"Everything is so much more complicated than I thought it would be," Jacobson said.
For example, she wasn't aware so many permits would be required to restore water and sewer service to the building.
A few puddles inside the building also indicate they have an urgent problem with the roof, she said. The cost to replace the roof has been estimated at $160,000 to $170,000.
They may be able to do the work in phases, however, starting with portions over the theater lobby and office area and the adjacent Tobacco Road store.
They hope to start roof replacement this spring, Jacobson said.
On the positive side, individuals, companies, the city and foundations donated about $100,000 toward the project last year, Jacobson said.
Those donations and countless hours of volunteer labor have helped move the project along both inside and outside the Rialto building.
This spring, the Reclamation Project plans to move into the Tobacco Road storefront, Jacobson said. A small portion of the space will be used for an office. The remaining room will be used for meetings and as a gallery for displaying art and crafts made by local immigrants and refugees.
As time and money permit, the theater lobby will become a café where people from all parts of the world can mingle, Johns said. The theater auditorium eventually will be remodeled into a large space for meetings, cultural performances and special events.
Along with stopping by for a cup of coffee, immigrants and refugees also will be able to get help with resettlement questions and needs, Jacobson said.
"It will be a great resource when it is done," she added.
The Reclamation Project, which is collaborating with other groups assisting new immigrants, already has started two programs that could move to the Rialto when it is ready, Johns said.
A newly hired language coordinator will do more than just help new immigrants learn to speak English, Johns said. The program also emphasizes life skills and adapting to American culture.
A second program, Circle of Friends, matches a new immigrant or refugee family with 10-20 people from the Fort Wayne community. The local people serve as mentors and friends as the individual or family adjusts to life in the United States.
"What they need most is American friendships," Johns said.
The Reclamation Project foresees leaders developing within the different immigrant communities here, Johns and Jacobson said. Those leaders eventually can assume responsibility for operating the Rialto center and meeting the needs of current and future immigrants.
"I'd love to work my way out of a job," Jacobson said.
Save the theater:
To learn more about the Rialto Café and Cultural Center or to donate to or volunteer on the project, go to www.thereclamationproject.org on the Web.
Posted by Admin at February 15, 2005 03:44 PM