Building updates: See how far some local favorites have come

Paramount Theatre

WHERE: 123 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids

PROJECT COST: $35 million

COMPLETION DATE: Oct. 19, 2012

GRAND REOPENING: Nov. 3, 2012, with Harry Connick Jr. concert

UPDATE: The theatre has seen few dark days since the reopening, and the majority of concerts and events have sold out. The 1928 Mighty Wurlitzer console was destroyed in the Flood of 2008, but the next model off the assembly line was located, revamped and decorated to look like the console audiences remember. Work continues on refurbishing the pipes and instruments in the second-floor chamber. The organ will be featured in Orchestra Iowa's “Resurrection” concert March 8, 2014. During the recent 2013 flood threat, the organ console was moved out of its concrete bunker and onto the Paramount stage, where it could be loaded onto a truck in case of emergency evacuation.

U. S. District Courthouse

WHERE: 111 Seventh Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids

PROJECT COST: $182 million

COMPLETION DATE: July 2012

OPENING DATE: Nov. 5, 2012

UPDATE: 286,000 square feet, eight stories, five state-of-the-art courtrooms. Large art installation made up of silhouettes of men's and women's heads to represent jurors, created by artist Ralph Helmick. Tenants are the U.S. Attorney's Office, U.S. Marshall's Office, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, U.S. Probation Office, U.S. Trustee, Federal Public Defender and General Services Administration. U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Tom Harkin, and 8th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Michael Melloy also have offices in the building.

Physicians' Clinic of Iowa (PCI) Medical Pavilion:

WHERE: 202 10th St. SE, Cedar Rapids

PROJECT COST: $47 million privately funded project that combined all five PCI offices

OPENED: April 15 UPDATE: An open, mall-like, three-story building with 221,000 square feet. The pavilion provides “one-stop shop” health care. Patients have one visit, one copay and can see more than one doctor, complete lab work, have in-office procedures, get results that same day and pick up prescriptions. Tenants are Clark and Associates, Helen G. Nassif Community Cancer Center of Iowa, Cardiologists L.C., Envisions Spa and Cosmetic Surgery, St. Luke's Breast and Bone Health, CarePro Pharmacy and Caribou Coffee Cafe.

Cedar Rapids Public Library

WHERE: 450 Fifth Ave. SE

PROJECT COST: $45.8 million; overall project remains $3 million under budget

REOPENING: 10 a.m. Aug. 24, 2013

UPDATE: Finish work progressing on schedule. Furniture, fixtures and equipment will be moved into the facility in June; staff will move in late July. LivingLearning green roof prepped for vegetation. The collection of books, movies, etc., has been an ongoing project for a few years. Pallets of books are in a warehouse waiting to be shipped. Materials will arrive in June/July and be installed by professionals; library staff will take weeks to adjust the contents to the appropriate place for the grand opening. Skywalk is under construction underway.

Cedar Rapids Convention Center

WHERE: 350-370 First Ave. NE, Cedar Rapids; home to U.S. Cellular Center arena and DoubleTree by Hilton hotel

PROJECT COST: $145.2 million

REOPENED: May 31, 2013

UPDATE: The new facility has a 9,004-seat arena lined with concessions stands, 267 hotel rooms, 81,779 square feet of exhibit space, 12,359 square feet of ballroom space and 19,383 square feet of meeting room space.

Other projects with projected completion dates

• CSPS: opened October 2011
• Transit garage: June 2013
• Riverfront amphitheater: August 2013
• City Services Center office building (public works): September 2013
• Central Fire Station: October 2013
• Animal Care and Control: October 2013
• Ground Transportation Center bus depot renovation: December 2013
• Westside Fire Station No. 3: December 2013
• City Services Center operations warehouse: Fall 2014
• Northwest Recreation Center: May be complete in 2014

Compiled by Diana Nollen, Trish Mehaffey, Chelsea Keenan, Rick Smith/The Gazette; sources: Cedar Rapids, project staff and Gazette archives.

The theatre has seen few dark days since the reopening, and the majority of concerts and events have sold out. The 1928 Mighty Wurlitzer console was destroyed in the Flood of 2008, but the next model off the assembly line was located, revamped and decorated to look like the console audiences remember. Work continues on refurbishing the pipes and instruments in the second-floor chamber. The organ will be featured in Orchestra Iowa's “Resurrection” concert March 8, 2014. During the recent 2013 flood threat, the organ console was moved out of its concrete bunker and onto the Paramount stage, where it could be loaded onto a truck in case of emergency evacuation.