By Taylor Hale
STEVENS POINT — Contractors removed the iconic Fox Theater marquee on May 17. The historic building rests in the center of downtown and is now being converted into an event space and beer garden.
The bitter-sweet moment saw a piece of local history coming down, but also a new landmark in the process of going up.
“A crane has been employed to help remove the two parts of the marquee that display the FOX emblem. These pieces will eventually be displayed inside the completed building where they will be safe from further weathering and deterioration,” a release from the Stevens Point Opera House group stated.
The marquee was likely built in place, as the underlying framework was welded to a beam embedded in the facade, so crews had to remove the piece in place. They cut the metal pieces into manageable sizes and lowered them to the ground.
Renovation work on the building first began in 2020. Wildcard Worx is spearheading the contracting work for the project.
“We’re not just preserving a building, we’ll also be contributing to the commercial industry and vibrant community life of our downtown,” describes Joe Schoenberg, interim commercial program manager for the Opera House LLC. “We hope the local community will continue to share our enthusiasm for the project as we begin to take actionable steps to renovate the building to make it functional and sustainable for many generations to come.”
Restoration to the facade of the building will start soon, returning the building as close to its original appearance as possible. The more than 125-year-old building is slated to reopen as an event venue and outdoor beer garden with an outdoor stage in 2022.
The former Fox Theater is located at 1124 Main St., Stevens Point.