At the aging State Theatre in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, work is well underway on a project that will breathe new life into an old building. Thanks to volunteers ranging from film buffs to generous community members, a great deal of work has been completed on the theater. To date, about a million dollars worth of improvements have been made, including new water mains, a fresh facade, and a brand new fire alarm system.

Project director Stacy Newcomb Weiland says, "Most recently we had all the asbestos removed from the entire building.” With that part taken care of, serious renovations can now be safely undertaken. ”We’re really getting into the exciting part that people can see."

The removal of asbestos prior to major renovations is a matter of public health and safety. Exposure to asbestos, often found in materials like insulation in some older buildings, can lead to the rare cancer mesothelioma. Mesothelioma affects thousands of American patients each year. The symptoms of the disease may not become apparent until decades after exposure to asbestos. However, once symptoms do begin to develop, a patient must seek attention from a doctor immediately Treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy can improve a patient’s quality of life, but there is no cure for mesothelioma.

When the theater is done, according to Weiland, "We’ll show everything from blockbusters to foreign film and even silent film…It’s going to create the unique opportunity for an affordable daily venue for film, $5-$10 you can come and watch whatever film we’re showing at that time of year."

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