Speaking on artisans who could properly restore the Madison to opening day (1921) condition: as of 2013 two firms with histories predating the golden age of movie palace’s still exsist today.
1. Conrad Schmitt of New Berlin, WI was founded in 1889 and has been an industry leader as first, a decorating company during the architectural boom of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century’s and second, as a leader in the restoration of many of those same properties decades later. Conrad Schmitt also has the most theater/auditorium retorations under their belt, numbering in the hundreds. Their history and portfolio can be found at conradschmitt.com.
2. Rambusch Studios, of New York, NY was founded in 1898 and has a long and venerable project/client list mirroring that of Conrad Schmitt. They can be found at rambusch.com.
Evergreene Architectural Arts also of New York, NY was founded in 1978 and quickly became a leader in the revitalizing of historic art and architecture. Evergreene is the first choice among several prominent historic preservationist architectural firms. They can be found at evergreene.com.
(This is not an attack) According to Jim Rankin’s post in Sept. of 04, The Apollo Theater is the only other theater attributed to architect Frederick Klein but that would not be true. The Peoria’s Madison Theater, currently awaiting restoration, was also designed by Klein in 1921 and is an almost exact duplicate of the 1916 Circle Theater in Indianapolis, IN.
Here’s a link to a great, eight minute video on Conrad Schmitt Studios. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39zxhmQJxUU
Speaking on artisans who could properly restore the Madison to opening day (1921) condition: as of 2013 two firms with histories predating the golden age of movie palace’s still exsist today. 1. Conrad Schmitt of New Berlin, WI was founded in 1889 and has been an industry leader as first, a decorating company during the architectural boom of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century’s and second, as a leader in the restoration of many of those same properties decades later. Conrad Schmitt also has the most theater/auditorium retorations under their belt, numbering in the hundreds. Their history and portfolio can be found at conradschmitt.com. 2. Rambusch Studios, of New York, NY was founded in 1898 and has a long and venerable project/client list mirroring that of Conrad Schmitt. They can be found at rambusch.com.
Evergreene Architectural Arts also of New York, NY was founded in 1978 and quickly became a leader in the revitalizing of historic art and architecture. Evergreene is the first choice among several prominent historic preservationist architectural firms. They can be found at evergreene.com.
New facebook page dedicated to Peoria’s palaces: http://www.facebook.com/#!/PEORIASPICTUREPALACES
(This is not an attack) According to Jim Rankin’s post in Sept. of 04, The Apollo Theater is the only other theater attributed to architect Frederick Klein but that would not be true. The Peoria’s Madison Theater, currently awaiting restoration, was also designed by Klein in 1921 and is an almost exact duplicate of the 1916 Circle Theater in Indianapolis, IN.