Museum move won’t re-start over the weekend

CEDAR RAPIDS- Plans to take a next big step in moving the National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library in Cedar Rapids won't happen this weekend.

Contractors managed to move the 1,740 ton museum building approximately 240 feet on the first day of the effort Wednesday.  But then the rains came later that evening and on Thursday when crews planned a critical maneuver to pivot the building by 90 degrees.  That maneuver is needed to line it up with the new, higher foundation.  Workers had hoped drying weather would allow them to re-start the move as early as Saturday.

But Diana Baculis, museum spokesperson, said the ground is simply not drying out enough to entertain any idea of moving the building over the weekend.

Baculis said crews will have to re-grade the dirt pathway the building will travel.  An estimated 2-3 inches of rain at the museum site since late Wednesday left both puddles and potholes along the dirt route.  The steel plates placed on the ground in front of the building need to dry out too.

Baculis said the museum will probably give 24 hours notice when the move is back on.  The forecast for early next week calls for temperatures in the low 70's and the chance of rain.  The museum needs at least two days of hot dry weather to dry out and that forecast doesn't look promising.