What's Happening at 56 E. Ferguson Ave? Get to know PFund Construction
We are thrilled to be part of Wood River and look forward to growing our involvement in this community. Our company collaborates with many communities to help revitalize their downtown areas. As we got to know the leadership of Wood River, our connection has been a natural fit. There was also a touch of perfect timing, as the growth of our companies led to immediate space needs. When we mapped where employees live, Wood River was an obvious central location. We decided to practice what we preach and invest in an area that would truly benefit, dedicating a portion of our office to downtown Wood River. When we viewed available properties, the former theatre building immediately caught our attention. Inspection revealed major structural issues, indicating it had limited time before its only option was to be condemned and demolished. It was impressive to see how Brad, Steve, the City Council, and Mayor Stalcup worked together to expedite approvals and focus on saving this important piece of Wood River history. The previous owner even allowed us to begin working on the building before closing. When the boards were removed from the upper-level window openings, the original windows were still in place and could be restored and reused. The original theatre sloped floor remained under non-original wood framing that leveled the floor for previous retail use. Water intrusion had severely damaged the wood floors, making them unusable. In recent weeks, we have removed the wood framing and floors, filling the sloped basement with hundreds of tons of gravel. After running new plumbing and electrical under the floor, we will pour a new interior concrete slab. Our next focus will be on the roof structure and major repairs to the building's masonry facade. In some areas, the lintels (beams above windows and doorframes) have completely rusted away. The restored building will feature a new exterior patio in the adjacent empty lot. We are proposing a recessed space along Ferguson Ave, including outdoor seating and a community mural. We are very excited to engage with the Wood River Business Alliance and hope to participate in many more downtown projects. We look forward to getting to know all of you, becoming good neighbors, and thank you for working hard to make downtown Wood River successful.