Since the consoles of both the Paramount’s Wurlitzer and TCR (Iowa Theatre) Rhinestone Barton were damaged beyond repair in the flood of June 2008, CRATOS and CRBI (Cedar Rapids Barton, Inc) have engaged in joint efforts focused on the preservation and restoration of both consoles. Subsequent inspections of both installations have revealed [...]
After an extensive selection process, the City of Cedar Rapids has selected OPN Architects to lead the historical restoration efforts. As reported in The Gazette, this step in the process is an important one, and recognizes the both the importance of not only restoring the theatre, but doing so in a way which balances historical [...]
CRATOS is pleased to be able to report that the Cedar Rapids City Council, on Feb 4, 2009, voted to restore the flood-damaged Paramount Theatre. The restoration funding is inclusive of the theatre and the organ. The Cedar Rapids Gazette provided the update on this monumental decision.
More updates will be provided as details are released.
Just over 6 months since sustaining flooding from the Cedar River, the Paramount Theatre has flooded once again. This time a broken water pipe, apparently left unchecked, caused the building’s sub-basement, basement and orchestra pit to fill with water.
Fortunately this time the water was clean, but still damaging to an already flooded and closed building. [...]
On August 2, 2008, the strangest thing since the Great Flood of 2008 happened in Cedar Rapids, IA. CRATOS members, assisted by the Rockwell Retiree Volunteers, and The History Center, moved the Wurlitzer and Barton consoles into the new organ restoration room. For the first time in the history of Cedar Rapids, two completely unique theatre [...]
Just shy of 1 month following the dramatic removal of the Paramount’s 1928 Wurlitzer Balaban 1A theatre organ console, CRATOS and CRBI coordinated another rescue effort. This time it was the 1928 Rhinestone Barton console from Theatre Cedar Rapids (formerly the Iowa Theatre).
The Barton console was damaged by the floodwaters, but the impact to the organ was [...]
CRATOS has been the official caretaker of the Paramount Theatre’s Mighty Wurlitzer organ since 1969. The City of Cedar Rapids, which owns both the Paramount and the Wurlitzer – a matching set since 1928, and now one of just 36 original installations still in existance – has consistently entrusted CRATOS with the task of ensuring [...]
In the midst of all of the activity over the past many days, we have been fortunate to have a significant amount of media interest in the story of the Paramount, and our Mighty Wurlitzer.
Local, state and national news organizations were onsite to spread the word of the danger the organ was in due to [...]
This coming September 1, 2008, the Paramount Theatre was to have, and we hope still will, celebrate it’s 80th Birthday. From the CRATOS archives comes our concert program history of the organ and theatre, and the text of the original announcement as posted in The Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette and Republican:
Opening on Saturday, September 1st, [...]
CRATOS members were summoned to the Paramount Theatre at 11:30am, Wednesday, June 18th at the behest of theatre management. Of concern was, and still is, the stability of the heavily damaged main stage. Based on the June 17th photos by The Gazette, the condition of the console was documented, but the condition of the pipe chambers [...]
