PENDLETON — The Rivoli Theatre first opened its doors 105 years ago as Prohibition had just come into force, and last closed them in 1981 just as MTV launched its first music video. President Andrew Picken and the rest of the Rivoli Restoration Coalition are trying to get the turnstiles spinning once again 45 years later.

The Rivoli Restoration Coalition, a nonprofit corporation, was formed in 2010 with the intent to restore the shuttered theater into a contemporary and versatile entertainment center capable of hosting a variety of media.

“The end-product is a fully functioning community performance center, pluripotent in a sense that it’s versatile enough that it can and will support live music, movies, weddings, community gatherings, public speakers, and we’re building it in such a way that it will be accessible and useful for a pretty wide range of travelling performances,” Picken said.

He added that the Rivoli would be a host facility, meaning any group can rent or use the space within the constraints of a nonprofit/nonpolitical entity.

“This project is about community, and community, to me, is about being as inclusive and open as possible,” Picken said. “Everybody comes, everybody can be there, everybody feels safe, comfortable and accepted, and by virtue of doing that, it’s inherently helpful and good for the community in a sense of economic health and wellbeing.”

Picken said theater-viewers at evening performances spend $40-$80 per night within the community, whether it be at local restaurants, bars or shops.

Picken said he was inspired to start the project when he went to the reopening of the Liberty Theatre in Astoria, a restoration led by Steve Forrester, his cousin by marriage.

“I’ve always gravitated toward and known people in the arts, in lots of interesting ways that have been super important to me personally,” Picken said. “So here I am, in this awesome, restored historic theatre in this small Oregon town with a family member who I could look to as a mentor who grew up here.”

Reconstruction

The restoration of the Rivoli has been laid out in three phases, with the first recently being completed. It included the removal of 400,000 pounds of debris and material from the building, excavation of the building’s footprint to accommodate a basement space, reinforcement and securing the building.

Phase two will include most of the major construction needed for the performing arts center within the building’s shell. Components include exterior improvements, walls and floors, mechanical, electrical and plumbing services. Fundraising for phase two began in January, with the Wildhorse Foundation being an early contributor by donating $30,000 dollars in March. This donation is in addition to three others the foundation has contributed over the past 15 years, totalling to $60,000.

“I was told early on that if you want to do anything significant in this area, it’s a good idea to see if the tribes would be interested and supportive,” Picken said. “They heard me out. There were naysayers, there were pros and cons and there was a public discussion right there asking why they should help. That was an important part of the conversation for the first large grant we ever got, which was $20,000.”

Up to this point, Wildhorse Foundation grants have funded roof replacement, phase one architecture and engineering, phase one construction and phase two construction. The foundation also funded a portion of the feasibility study for the nonprofit to determine if the restoration was doable.

“The grant money from the tribes is amongst the most important good housekeeping seals of approval for projects in Northeast Oregon,” Picken said. “The Ricoli Coalition deeply appreciates the (Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation’s) ongoing support and partnership in this project, without which we certainly would not have been able to have secured funding not only from the CTUIR, but also considerable funds subsequently raised based on the credibility of the project based on the Wildhorse Foundation’s support.”

After the completion of phase two, the restoration will move on toward refinement — the building’s aesthetic architecture, seating, flooring, restrooms. Plans to install an elevator, a basement-level bar, storage areas, a green room for artists and more.

Luncheon fundraiser

The Rivoli Restoration Coalition hosted a fall fundraising luncheon on Oct. 3 to celebrate the completion of phase one of construction and initiate phase two. It was also an opportunity for the coalition to provide an update or plan to community members curious about the restoration.

Speaking at the luncheon were Kevin Johnson, an estimator with Kirby Nagelhout Construction Company, OPSIS Architecture Principal Joe Baldwin and Picken.

“This is about information transmission, gathering and then putting in front of the community people who are doing the work. For (Johnson and Baldwin) and myself, in an hour, to update everybody about where we are and where we hope to be,” Picken said.

Picken said he hoped the luncheon would provide meaningful information the community wanted to have and that it reflected community values, that it was well-attended and that they left more informed and wanting to continue being ambassadors to the project.

“What it’s not is solely an effort to raise money, in fact, if we do slightly better than pencilling, I’d be very happy,” he said.

So far more than $1.7 million have been raised in prior phases for the restoration, and Picken made sure to communicate that this project would not be a quick wrap-up.

“You could get it fast, good or cheap, that’s the triangle, you don’t get all three. We won’t negotiate on cheap and we won’t negotiate on good. Cheap and bad will never happen at the Rivoli, period,” he said.

Picken said the float at the Rivoli (how much the building costs with property taxes, utilities and accounting services) is about $1,500 a month. As long as that is being paid, the project will continue to move forward regardless of pace.

“If you asked me today what it would cost to get it done well and in a timely fashion, my best estimate is if we had $6 million dollars today, we could have it done and amazing in three to four years,” he said.

Regardless of how soon it will happen, when the Rivoli opens its doors again, it will seat 360 for a versatile entertainment center, anchor downtown Pendleton, fuel local economy as well as provide another route for local performing arts. After 45 years of silence from the theater, there may yet be a second act.