T-R PHOTO BY SARA JORDAN-HEINTZ - The IVCCD Orpheum Theater Center, 220 E. Main St., suffered structural damage from the tornado that required its immediately closure. Its programming was moved to temporary locations, including the Iowa Valley Community College District Marshalltown campus. Construction crews are expected to complete repairs by June 10.

Construction crews are expected to complete repairs on the IVCCD Orpheum Theater Center by June 10.

After the tornado ripped through Marshalltown in July last year, business and property owners immediately surveyed the damages, formulating plans for repairs. The Orpheum, 220 E. Main St., suffered structural damage that required its immediate closure. Its programming was moved to temporary locations, including the Iowa Valley Community College District Marshalltown campus. Tornado damage to the building included having the front windows blown out, ceiling tiles collapse and a loss of electricity. Daylight could be seen through a hole in the roof of the coffee shop. Damages exceeded $1 million, of which was almost entirely covered by insurance.

Orpheum Director Bob Untiedt said IVCCD, which owns and operates the Orpheum, handled the repair process. He and assistant Tammy Losing were able to re-enter the building in fall 2018 to use their offices, but it was closed to the general public.

In April 2018, Leona Wallen opened Your Plate or Mine Eatery and Catering inside the Orpheum, only to have the tornado shut down her operation just three months later.

“My target date is June 10 with a run through of systems the 3rd, 4th and 5th for a soft opening,” Wallen said.

Hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. She will offer her signature sweet breads, scones and cinnamon rolls, as well as have lunch fare such as a shaved prime rib sandwich, chicken salad sandwich, Chicago chili dog, reuben, grilled veggie panini and more. She is introducing a new coffee menu. Reservations can be made online via her Facebook page.

Untiedt said he was pleased the coffee shop was able to be reopened.

“With the remodeling, it will actually gain 18 inches of more counter space which it needed,” he said.

Movie, television and theater memorabilia that had been on display pre-tornado is now back in place.

Once construction crews leave the premises in the coming week or so, the public will notice the exterior of the theater will look slightly different.

“The most notable change is the marquee will not look the same because we don’t have the materials from the 40s and 50s we could use to replace that stuff,” he said. “The vertical neon sign will be unchanged. What is nice is the marquee will now have weather-proofed lights. They previously were actually lights intended for indoor use only so this will be better.”

Untiedt said an official grand opening is set during the first Live After 5 concert of the season, which will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. June 21, sponsored by the Friends of the Orpheum Theater. The performance will be by the B2WINS. The Nadas will perform on June 28 with the concert series going through August 23. These are free and open to the public, with refreshments available to purchase.

Free movie screenings for local elementary schools will resume in the fall. Untiedt said an entertainer has been booked to perform at Miller Middle School in March 2020 for an all-school event.

For a complete list of events, visit www.orpheumcenter.com.