Staff report
news@wbcowqel.com

We’ve compiled a number of videos below of the demolition of the Schines Theatre in downtown Bucyrus. This part of the demolition occurred Tuesday.

Crowds turned out to watch as the building was torn down, bit by bit.

Moderalli Excavating of Poland, Ohio won the contract to demo the building, which has extensive asbestos.

The City of Bucyrus obtained two grants – one from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and another from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission – in order to tear down the old theatre that has been worn down by fire, neglect, and time. As part of the conditions of the grants, the area will be turned into the Schines Art Park.

The city received significant last-minute donations from area businesses in order to meet the requirements of the grants. The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission provided a $357,000 grant but the city needed to provide 50 percent of that in in-kind or matching funds. The city received $83,000 in June, including $50,000 from Ohio Mutual Insurance Group. Other businesses that contributed to the project were Bucyrus Road Materials, Crawford County Arts Council, Dan Price and A-1 Printing, Lyn Makeever and Makeever and Associates, Jim Mayes and J&F Construction, The Bucyrus Theater Group, Oberlander’s, Mike Robinette and Trinity Monuments, Ryder-Heil Bronze, the law firm of Kennedy, Purdy, Hoeffel and Gernert, Mizick-Miller and Company, and Lee’s Comfort Shoes.

According to Barbara Richards, Housing Grants Director with the Ohio Regional Development Corp, the goal is to have the building on the ground before the Bratwurst Festival on Aug. 13. The equipment will be moved off-site during the festival if the demolition has not finished or the debris has not been completely removed.  The completion date for the demolition – which includes filling in the hole and a final grade – is Oct. 31.

In place of the old theatre will be the Schine Art Park, a green space with an emphasis on education and the arts.

A photo gallery can also be found here: http://bit.ly/1h3IS9B

Below are videos taken July 29 as the crew attempts to take down the concrete beam on the final wall of the theater.