It’s hoped the events will bring together past and present supporters along with community members to see and enjoy the inside of the former Brethren church.

The Church in the Middle of the Block’s journey from near-demolition to cultural gathering space was spearheaded by Altoona resident John Rita and a like-minded group of men — Ted Holland Jr. and three brothers: Frank, Dave and Sam Modico — who formed Church in the Middle of the Block LLC.

It was Rita who purchased the building from the city of Altoona in 1993 for $1. At the time, the building was at the end of its life, with the sky visible through the roof beams and hundreds of pigeons living in the rafters.

It took two years of work before the first public performance took place in December 1995, and renovations continued through the years until recently, when the center’s leaders deemed it complete.

The Sweitzer Theater at Church in the Middle of the Block stands at 217 Fifth Ave. in Altoona. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

Looking back on the 30 years it’s taken to complete the cultural center’s renovation, Chris Cook said, “It’s been a labor of love.”

Cook, the managing partner who books events into the space and does day-to-day financial management, said the venture has been completely self-

financed by the group.

“We have probably put a million dollars into this building over 30 years. And it’s not like we had all this money,” he said. “It’s been a very slow process, and that’s why it’s taken so long.”

Now, though, “we are calling it done and so it’s just routine maintenance from this point,” he said.

The stage and seating area of the Sweitzer Theater is seen at the Church in the Middle of the Block. “A Knight in Logan Castle” will be presented at 7 p.m. Dec. 16. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

‘Showplace of things’

Built in 1988 in the late Gothic revival style, the building retains some of its past, but is now filled with an eclectic collection from books and farming tools to flea market finds.

“This (place) is a showcase of various things that have come down to us,” Rita said. “Some of them were gifted; others were found.”

Rita is credited with saving and repurposing various items from throughout Blair County and beyond.

For instance, there’s a metal, spiral staircase from the Altoona High School that was rescued from a junk heap, Rita said.

The Egyptian Room is seen on the first floor of the Sweitzer Theater at the Church in the Middle of the Block. Open houses in celebration of the facility’s 30-year anniversary will be held Dec. 9, 12, 13 and 14. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

Bookcases — from the Blair County Law Library — are filled with an extensive collection of the partners’ books in The Hall of Osorkon II. Gates that once adorned the Third Street entrance to the Albert Michaels Gallery have been repurposed in the hall, along with a flea market find — a plaster bust of Pharaoh Osorkon II — that lends its name to the room. The walls and ceilings are adorned with antique farming tools collected by Holland’s father.

Holland’s extensive collection of ham radios, telegraph keys and equipment are displayed in jewelry cases from Seller’s Jewelry store, which had been in the downtown.

Rita’s marble studio can be seen on the first floor and his art studio is adjacent to the Sweitzer Theatre, where productions are staged.

Most recently, Rita completed several mural panels — The DNA of God — along the back wall of the theater.

“If the DNA of God is in you or in me, then it needs to be in everybody,” Rita said. “It doesn’t matter what color their skin is, even if it’s green, they should be included, so it’s a mural about inclusivity.”

The mural panels depict a blend of science, religious mythology of Gilgamesh, the Jewish experience and the old Testament to the Garden of Eden, as well as the Christian journey of salvation along with quotes from “Dante’s Inferno” and C.S. Lewis. The murals were 10 years in the making and took five years to create and complete, he said.

“I’m dedicating this to my father, who gave me my first wall and he gave me the space to fulfill my dreams,” Rita said. “Without a parent like that who really, really allowed me to do what I dreamed of doing — none of this would have happened.”

‘Family, friendships’

The Church in the Middle of the Block Cultural Center is an amalgamation of family and friendships.

In recent years, Valerie Stratton was named partner along with Tom Sweitzer Jr. and Kim Tapper, who works with Sweitzer in Virginia.

Sweitzer, who founded a music therapy practice to help those with disabilities, is a nationally known actor and playwright who performed a play about his Altoona upbringing in an Off-Broadway production this fall.

Stratton, a retired Penn State psychology professor, has long been involved in community theater. She and the late Jody Hesley founded Things Unseen in 2011 to present theatrical productions that address social issues and to inspire change while offering opportunities to those seeking a creative outlet and opportunities in the performance arts.

Rita and Cook are cousins and Cook and Sweitzer are longtime childhood friends. Cook learned the construction and historical preservation business from Rita and his father, Albert Micheal Rita.

Cook and his daughter, Parker, 19, will perform Dec. 16, as will Sweitzer and performers he knows from the Virginia area.

Sweitzer, who will perform an original piece, said he is always happy and honored and “come home to perform and be with friends and family.”

A full circle moment

The celebration is a full circle moment for Cook because he was 13 years old when he started working with Albert Michael Rita at the cultural center.

“That’s where my career started,” Cook said. From the ages of 13 to 20, Cook said he worked on various projects, including plaster work, painting, hardwood floors, building the first stage and the choir loft.

“Then, I stepped away and went to college and started my career and my own family,” he said.

The center is also where he started in the performance arts. At its opening in December 1995, Cook was part of the technical crew. This year, his son Ohwen, 13, will be part of the celebration, performing on the piano.

Also performing is Terry Tomasetti of Altoona, a retired attorney and former Blair County commissioner, who met Rita during the restoration of the Blair County Courthouse in 2013. Tomasetti has performed at the Church in the Middle of the Block before, including at the 25th anniversary celebration.

“My impression of the entire facility is that it’s just a refreshing place to be if you have an artistic bone in your body,” Tomasetti said. “It’s like a little taste of the Renaissance.”

“I think it’s an eclectic collection of art and history,” Cook said. “We hope it will stay preserved for history going forward.”

If you go

What: Church in the Middle of the Block 30th Anniversary celebration

Open house: 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, and 10 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 12-14

Program: “A Knight in Logan Castle,” 7 p.m. Dec. 16

Where: 217 Fifth Ave., Altoona

Admission: Free