Sandwich will make gutter repairs on historic Opera House

Plans to repair leaking gutters on the historic Sandwich Opera House are moving ahead.

At the July 21 Sandwich City Council meeting, Sandwich Mayor Todd Latham broke a 4-4 tie in approving a bid from Lake Zurich-based All American Exterior Solutions for Opera House gutter repairs in an amount not to exceed $136,450.

City Council members disagreed on when the work should begin because there is not currently money designated in the city’s budget for the project.

“The problem is we didn’t expect that gutter to leak this year,” City Administrator Geoff Penman told City Council members. “So, we don’t have anything specifically budgeted to make this repair this year.”

Voting to approve the project were 4th Ward Aldermen Don Danko and Fred Kreinbrink, 2nd Ward Alderwoman Genelle Inman and 3rd Ward Alderman Jay Ketchum.

Those voting against it were 3rd Ward Alderwoman Karsta Erickson, 1st Ward Alderman Rich Robinson, 2nd Ward Alderman Adam Arnett and 1st Ward Alderman Matt Chunn.

The city only received one bid for the work. But Penman told City Council members that the bid is probably a pretty solid number.

“We have had some leaking on the east side of the Opera House, up in the gutter,” Penman said. “That gutter is beginning to pull away from the building, and we’ve got some problems.”

Arnett said the City Council should wait to do the work until money has been designated for the repairs. He said the City Council had time to mull it over because bids are typically good for 30 days.

“We obviously need to get it done,” he said. “It needs to happen, without a doubt, but finding the funds is the biggest thing.”

Kreinbrink said time is of the essence.

“The wet season is going to come before you know it, and the next thing you know, we could have issues with the roof. I’d like to proceed with this and figure out how we can cut within the budget if we need to,” he said. “If need be, there are some restricted funds that are in there currently in the capital side as well, so that’s another avenue.”

The performing arts theater hosts shows throughout the year, and the building also houses city offices. Architect Michael Brown inspected the building in May.

Built in 1878, the Sandwich Opera House is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Grecian-style Sandwich Opera House was built for $12,000 in 1878 by Enos Doan.

The building was renovated in 1895 and again from 1984 to 1986 after years of neglect. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Penman noted that a similar problem was addressed a couple of years ago on the building’s west side.

“I think this is a point in time where we really need to look very seriously at doing this,” he said. “It’s really reconstructing these altogether and making sure those gutters are good to go.”

Penman said the new gutters could last 20 to 30 years or perhaps longer.