Stubbs Building & House Movers stubbsls@stubbsmovers.com 185 N Old Crystal Bay Rd Long Lake, Minnesota 55356-9784 763-479-3184 Fax 763-479-1665 "Three Generations of Movers"

Moving the Shubert Theater 1. Preparing for the Move 2. The Shubert Starts Rolling 3. The Final Resting Place 4. News Coverage Stubbs Building and House Movers, in cooperation with Expert House movers of Maryland and International Chimney Corporation of Buffalo, New York,  worked through subzero temperatures in the winter of 1999 in downtown Minneapolis to move the historic Shubert Theater.  The 90 year old theater was being moved by the City of Minneapolis to make room for an new enertainment complex next to the Target Center. When completed, the Shubert Theater, weighing 2,908 tons, was the most massive building ever moved by dollies and is now registered in the Guiness Boook of World Records.  The mass of the theater is approximately equivalent to moving 75 3-bedroom homes. Preparing for the Move The Theater was moved one block north to be next to the Hennepin Center for the Arts, where the non-profit organization Artspace is rennovating it to be a performance art center. A view of the Shubert's basement, showing installation of jacking cribs, which was used to push the theater up and "crack" its connection with the old foundation. Workers inspect the crib work that supports the Shubert's foundation.  Although severe winter weather affected the move at times, workers are usually able to work even in the coldest Minnesota days. With steel beams in place, the Shubert was almost ready to roll.   A view of the inside of the Shubert.  It's 900 seats have been empty since the last performance in 1983. Here is an up close view of one of the 70  hydralic dollies that supported and transported the theater. The Shubert Starts Rolling 1. The first step in the move was to roll the Shubert off of its original foundation, and then turn it. 2. Once the turn was completed, the Shubert began its slow approach toward 6th Street, which was closed to traffic and filled with gravel to aid the theater's move. 3. and 4. With hundreds of people watching, the Schubert crosses 6th Street and goes down the alley behind the Hennepin Center for the Arts. 1. 2. 3. 4. The Final Resting Place The finishing touches are put on the Shubert's new foundation on the north side of the Hennepin Center for the Arts and the Shubert is rolled into place on top of its new foundation. Plans for the Shubert's new location next to the existing Hennepin Center for the Arts (on the left).  For information about Artspace and their plans for the Shubert performance arts center, contact Artspace at 612-333-9012. News Coverage The Minneapolis StarTribune has consolidated all of their coverage of the Shubert move on one page, including a multimedia illustration, several news stories, pictures, and a time lapse video. View WCCO TV's January 25, 1999 report on the Shubert move.   1. Preparing for the Move 2. The Shubert Starts Rolling 3. The Final Resting Place 4. News Coverage Click here to return to our home page.       Send us a note   Home   Moving the Shubert Theater   Past Moves   Request a Quote   Resources for Moving Buildings