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Webcams Give View of Historic Move---

February 01, 2011
   Thousands around the world can now view the move and relocation of the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library (NCSML) in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as two webcams have been installed near the construction site. After successfully raising $25 million, the museum and library broke ground and began construction Dec. 15, 2010. 

   Last year, the board of directors of the NCSML decided to move the 1400-ton structure and elevate it three feet above the 2008 flood level. A 30,000 sq. ft. expansion will provide room for additional exhibition galleries, collection storage, a theatre, enlarged programming space, and a Museum Store. 

   A crew from Patterson Structural Movers of Washington, IA, has begun welding 100 ft beams used in the relocation. Once beams and jacks are in place, the building will move ¼ mile per hour to its new location across the street. The entire move will take 45-60 days beginning in April. It is believed to be the largest museum ever moved according to Jeremy Patterson of Patterson Structural Movers. 

   On the museum’s home page www.NCSML.org, visitors will find a link to the live webcams at the upper right hand corner of the screen. 

   Two Arecont Vision cameras have been installed one that provides a south view is located on the museum’s clock tower on Sixteenth Avenue SW. While a second camera, is located on a west side utility pole. Both cameras are recording one frame per second. “The two high definition cameras were necessary to get a close up view of the museum being moved off its current foundation. Once the building is turned, the west camera will allow for viewing the elevation and positioning on top of the parking garage,” said President/CEO Gail Naughton of the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. 

   Sound Concepts of Cedar Rapids installed the stationary fixed cameras that communicate to a wireless transmitter. The NCML’s Kosek building at 87 Sixteenth Ave. SW, houses the wireless receiver and the NAS (network attached storage) recorder. The video programs will be used to illustrate the history of the museum, the relocation, and flood mitigation efforts. In addition to viewing the live action, cameras are also recording the relocation of the building for production of a time-lapse video of the move at a later time. 

   The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is the leading United States institution preserving and interpreting Czech and Slovak history and culture.

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