Master Craftsmen Complete Projects at Proctors

Posted by Gail M. Burns - March 2010

Master Craftsmen Olson, Mion Complete Projects at Proctors; Continue Tradition of Support, Excellence from Within Community

Schenectady, NY — Tradition can be gospel in theatre circles. What people say –
and more importantly, what they do – can yield profound consequences for those bound by theatre lore.

Two longstanding traditions that prevail at Proctors continue to generate
enthusiasm and support from CEO Philip Morris and his Board of Directors:
acknowledging the generosity of those who support the Schenectady-based arts and entertainment complex, and leveraging the skills and experience of local craftsman already vested in the elegant, historic structure – even as the
complex expands to embrace a nascent world of evolving possibilities.

It is little wonder then that Proctors enlisted the help of longtime Schenectady
craftsmen Olson Signs and Graphics and Anthony Mion & Son to undertake two
highly visible projects at the multistage complex on State Street.

Naming Names

In 2003 Proctors embarked on a $30 million expansion that included a new stage house to accommodate blockbuster touring Broadway shows, and renovations of the adjacent former Carl Company, which added the 434 seat GE Theatre with its giant screen, iwerks movies, new conference spaces and new offices. The expansion included a box office, coffee shop and additional space for theatergoers. With these and other changes, Proctors truly became a performing arts center, cultural anchor and community-gathering place in downtown Schenectady. Proctors Theatre and Arcade are on the New York State and National Register of Historic
Places.

According to Karen Johnson, Proctors Capital Campaign Director, “Community
support has made this wish-list expansion a reality. Close to 1,400 contributors
participated in the Proctors Expansion Campaign from 2004 – 2007, donating more than $7 million to the $30 million mega-project. The contributions ranged from $5 individual donations to six-figure contributions from the area’s largest
corporation.”

Johnson says that Proctors wanted to acknowledge this generosity in a public and lasting way. An internal committee suggested aggregating the donor names, in
alphabetical order, on four of the display windows that greet people as they
enter from the State Street. Theatergoers pass the historic copper-trimmed
display windows, which were part of the original Carl Company store. At the time that Proctors was built, the arcade was called the Jay Street Extension and
consisted of 40 shops and offices as part of the theatre building.

“Because of Proctors long history with Olson Signs and Graphics, says Ms.
Johnson, “we sought their advice in implementing an effective, tasteful and
manageable solution.”

Olson Signs and Graphics

Schenectady-based Olson has been serving Capital District since 1941 when his
father Arthur Olson started the business. Today, its sign fabricators and
craftsman claim well over 100 years of combined experience in the sign-making
craft from electric signs of all types to intricate carved signs to banners. A
full-service sign company, Olson has been active in providing signage at
Proctors for decades. Evidence of its contributions through the years can be
found throughout the Proctors complex, including the restoration of the State
Street Marquee and the new galvanized steel – painted cerise and cream with gold leafing – Stratton Plaza Marquee, as well as the lighted sign of the Proctors
logo that is visible from highway 890.

The production and application of the names to the historic glass showcases were not without challenges, says Art Olson, who with his father Richard, mother Kelly, and Charlie Johnston run the family enterprise today.

“We had to create the names within a region of each window that would be easy to see and read – and yet not detract from new material that will continue to be displayed in them,” he says. “We also had to be mindful not to block existing lighting within the windows and to justify the type so that the spacing appeared equal and no names were split at the left or right side of the application.”

The limitation of working within the display windows with the 12-foot sections
required that the Olsons affix the names directly onto the windows without the
benefit and safety net of using traditional transfer methods.

“It was tedious work and stressful at times” the junior Olson says.

He credits Linda Kollar with the more than 40 hours of keyboarding required to
“get the exact spacing required for the project. People will come to see their
name and we wanted it to be as flawless as possible.”

The nearly eight hours required to prep the display areas, polish the copper
structure, and apply the names was worth the effort, says Art Olson. “Even
before we were finished, people were asking what we were doing – and looking for their own name. It was a great idea and we’re happy to have been part of it!”

Mion Ensures Firm Footing

Farren Mion knows about the hundreds of people who pass through Proctors arcade everyday – all day. A principal of Anthony Mion & Son Inc., he witnessed the daily parade – and ensuing questions – as he and co-worker Varjan Lule worked to repair the damaged terrazzo on the 85-year-old flooring in Proctors lobby. The work took close to seven days and continued despite posted show times at all three Proctors stages. There was never a lack of on-lookers and informal
inspectors, he says.

In 1926, Anthony Mion started his tile contracting business in Schenectady.
Today, Anthony Mion & Sons continues into its fourth generation, headed by
business partner Bob Briski and sons Patrick and Farren. Patricia A. Mion, Jr.,
and her late husband Victor V. Mion, Jr., have been active supporters and
contributors to Proctors for decades.

“We’re as much a Schenectady tradition as Proctors itself,” says Farren.

The company has performed extensive tile work as part of the Proctors
restoration, including most of the tile work in the public restrooms and
dressing areas within the theatre complex as well as marble restoration on the
arcade walls.

Most people don’t know what terrazzo is, says the easy-going, self-assured
contractor. Even when he responded to questions from passersby about how the work in progress would look when completed, he says that some walked away sure that the floor and Grand Dame Proctors had been defiled.

“Creating terrazzo, says Mr. Mion, “is a multi-step process that is either
unknown or puzzling to most people, who think that what they are walking on is
marble.”

Terrazzo, he says, involves exposing marble chips and other fine aggregates on
the surface of finished concrete or epoxy-resin. Marble chips in various sizes
and colors are mixed with cement and water, creating slurry mix that is toweled
into a metal grid on the new or existing floor. Successive applications are
allowed to cure for several days. The final process includes the application of
diamond grinders to polish the floor to a finished product. Matching existing
color is achieved through the selection of appropriately colored marble chips
and, at times, use of dyed cement. Among the biggest benefits of terrazzo is
durability.

“Properly installed and maintained it has a shelf life that can easily exceed 60
– 70 years,” says Mr. Mion. “The original terrazzo at Proctors was poured in
1926 and we were challenged in determining what chip to use to achieve a near
perfect match. No records existed on what was done then. Overall, we are happy with our “patch to match” so to speak. We expect the new work – like the floor before it – to withstand the test and footprints of time. ”

Both Olson Signs and Graphics and Anthony Mion & Sons are part of another
Proctors tradition: supporting those who support them in their efforts to
preserve the best of Schenectady — honoring a glorious past and safeguarding
one of its most visible treasures for generations to come.

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