DuPage Theater
109 S. Main Street,
Lombard,
IL
60148
109 S. Main Street,
Lombard,
IL
60148
14 people
favorited this theater
Showing 76 - 100 of 1,253 comments
A really wonderfull location for the Library would be the “abandoned”
Menard’s building on the west side of rt.53.It has been vacant for almost 3 years now.Would’t that be a perfect location.Humm?
More than enough sq.feet and more than ample “parking”.
The Duper is the ideal location for an arts center.Plus it would keep the historical character of the very heart of Lombards Historical District.
Won’t the judge consider all of the time between now and June 2nd as a review period? That would make early December the expiration date of the six month period. Not a lot of time to get a developer to the table.
No the current library wouldn’t work out, simply because, according to Col. Plum’s will, the park district has first rights to that space if the library moves. And it is common knowledge the park district wants it for a fitness canter, which is an easy adaption.
Performance space would be very difficult to accomplish in that building. The fire chief doesn’t allow certain age children to go up and down stairs in large groups. We discussed this when talking about a small auditorium upstairs.
why start over when the theatre is accoustically perfect? The pipe organ asso is waiting to retool it back for a fabulous organ. The DuPage orchestra still wants it too.
I could go on and on about who will rent it. I have files full of groups, big and small.
The Ides of March will come back- they loved doing the concert in Lombard.
the theatre should be a theatre- that’s what it was made for.
We can’t get anywhere until the judge gives us our six months. Then people will start to come out to plan. Developers don’t want to ecrue the costs until they have some insurance of possiblity.
Wouldn’t the current Library make a wonderful arts center if the Library was moved????
The question isn’t to save or not to save or who’s paying for it. The question is, why would you want to restore a beautiful Theatre in a craphole town like lombard? The polititions and the residents that voted them in, sold this town up the river back in the 80s, when they started building the monolithic condos that polute the town. If you want a town that appreciates quality and beauty, move to Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, St Charles or Geneva, many of which still have their old theaters in tact. Or even places like Arlington Heights where everything is new, but they did it with class.
The question isn’t to save or not to save or who’s paying for it. The question is, why would you want to restore a beautiful Theatre in a craphole town like lombard? The polititions and the residents that voted them in, sold this town up the river back in the 80s, when they started building the monolithic condos that polute the town. If you want a town that appreciates quality and beauty, move to Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, St Charles or Geneva, many of which still have their old theaters in tact. Or even places like Arlington Heights where everything is new, but they did it with class.
The financial state of the Village of Lombard is sooooo grim that at yesterday’s board meeting the trustees approved “grants” in the amount of
$20k each to bribe businesses to Lombard.Grants.Funded with TIF money.
Isn’t that so strange.Cry poor mouth ,then give away TIF money.Hum.
Go figure!
BTW.Yesterday the village board approved an art"grant" program.Art to be displayed at a Walgreens drug store.Why Walgreens you say?Because Lombard currently doesn’t have an “arts center."
Strange "isn’t it”? Oh. The hyporicy of it all !
Melders,
There is very little hope for a library/theatre combo plan on that property. The library has stated publicly that they are not interested in sharing the property. The grim news about the financial state of the VOL at yesterday’s board meeting dealt a serious blow to any taxpayer supported plans like the library, theatre, District 87 referendum etc..I foresee the VOL wanting to clear the property and sell ASAP.
Oops.I spelled realistic wrong!Sorry about that.
Medlers.I do agree with you 100% that the library and a fully restored theatre is an excellent idea.But Dupage Dude is right.Referendums for the school district and Library have failed on previous attempts.Then there is the question of those grants that the village board voted to reject.Those grants will never come back.What a shame.
Then there is another even more perplexing issue.One of the demolition trustees has stated for the record that “any discussion about a library and the theatre land is premature."Whatever that must mean.My guess is that he may have other plans for that land.That is just "my opinion."
I do hope that your suggestion is embrassed by the "theatre friends” and the “theatre foes” as a workable solution.
But after battling this issue for the past 5 years,one tends to become a cynicially,realististic ,optimist.
Melders, that would be an idea, but the current apartments and shops square footage wouldn’t be enough for the library. However, the south property would contain enough footage. Why not seperate the youth section from the adult then, with the theatre in between?
The answer is simple. The plan calls for the theatre to be demolished with the “intention” of putting the library there. The subject would then have to go out to referendum. There is already talk at the Board level of putting the question about raising sales tax a ½ percent on the ballot as well, Lombardians, who will not want to see sales tax raised, also don’t want to see their property taxes raised, so they will vote no on both issues. Tax increase referendums across the board RARELY pass, look at Dist. 87, they have lost several times and may try again in the spring! The library plan will then be dead and the vacant former historic theatre property can be turned into their beloved ugly parking garage. Now I’m not claiming to be Nostradamus, but I’d be willing to bet a shiny new dime ’m right on this one. I predicted the vote to raze, I missed it by a month, I predicted the vote to return the State and Federal money, was right on there too. Sometimes I hate being right.
I have an idea for the theater. Since there seem to be two groups that want to save the theater, the ones that want to save it as a theater and those that want to turn it into a library, why don’t the two groups work together and share the theater? The library can be put into the part of the theater that held the shops and apartments. The theater can then be restored and used as a theater. There can then be one referendum, to save the building and restore it to use as a library and theater. Tax money can be used to create the library and stabalize the building. Funds can then be raised to restore the theater.
By the way, I’m STILL waiting to see those “disgusting” e-mails to be posted on here for all to see…
WOW!! Finally someone on here with some COMMON SENSE!! I have been saying all along the Friends should be doing a petition drive, and ONLY of REGISTERED LOMBARD VOTERS, but since I’m NOT C"Communications Director" or some other lofty title on the Board, my suggestion doesn’t count…
Talking to people on here, or anywhere that are against the Theatre is WORTHLESS!! They are trying to sidetrack the Friends with the notion that they want to work with them. Rather than start walking, the Friends are apparently talking…TO THE WRONG PEOPLE? Remember what Defeno said the other day…“Another article in today’s Herald about the Wheaton Grand. Everything I have read regarding that issue has been about controversy, mud-slinging and allegations of improprieties. I think the VOL has done us all a favor with their vote to move us forward.” THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THE FRIENDS ARE TALKING TO, FOLKS!! They sound pretty open to me!!!
PAY ATTENTION NOW FOLKS, HERE’S WHERE WE SOMEHOW LOOSE THE BOARD OF THE FRIENDS IF the Friends were to do a door-to-door petition drive in the Village of Lombard of REGISTERED VOTERS (I’d even provide them with the current list!!!) and a MAJORITY of the TAXPAYING CITIZENS OF LOMBARD SIGNED THE PETITION IN FAVOR OF THE THEATRE, how could the Trustees, who swore an oath to REPRESENT THE CITIZENS (TAXPAYERS) WHO ELECTED THEM vote to demolish? The FREE WILL OF THE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE SPOKEN!! DEMOCRACY AT ITS FINEST!!!Don’t you think many, many people up and down the political food chain would stand up and take notice if that happened? How embarassing for the Trustees who voted against if their residents OVERWHELMINGLY voted for the Theatre? How would the Judge react on the 17th if presented as evidence were stacks and stacks of petitions in favor of the Theatre? Instead, what do the Friends do? Host cocktail parties for residents firmly against the project, I’m sure their entry fees will be waived as well in hopes of changing their minds…FAT CHANCE!!! If the anti-theatre bunch wants to know public sentiment so much and the Board trusts them enough to talk to them, why not let them take petitions around as well? ha ha
DO THE PETITION DRIVE!!! STOP TALKING AND START WALKING BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE!!!
toni.I have asked this several times and you don’t respond.Are you working with the demolition trustees?
Their excuse was “they were not from Lombard residents”.Their excuse was
“they were from children."Their excuse was "they did not represent the majority of the voters”. Sure.The end result was “they had no value” to those 4 trustees.But none the less ,they had their excuses We can’t keep supplying them with excuses.
Do you really think that talking to residents here will do you any good?
They will tell you what they want you to hear.Then they will do what they want or do what they are “told” to do.
Make no mistake about it.
Duper, when we turned in the last packet of signatures- and don’t start telling me all the problems with it, it wasn’t for referendum so why stick to those rules.Referendum is only advisory anyways. Our point was, this is something everybody coming to/or living in Lombard wants. If the officials wanted verification, those should have had some value- but they didn’t.
We packed city hall over and over, year after year.
Duper, Deb Dynako and I have been trying to talk to people here for weeks now. “Work together” is what we are looking for.
Thanks. But I don’t think that petition came from the “friends”.
I will check on your statement.Good try anyway.
I think they already started a petition drive. Last week someone came by. The question was: Do you think the village should A: Demolish the theatre and sell the property or B: Wait until 2007 to allow time for a new restoration plan.
We had to produced our voter registration cards to sign off. Friends in Old Grove said they were polled as well. This took place last weekend.
toni.Don’t you think the friends should “reconsider” the petition drive of all registered voters.Especially in the demolition trustee’s districts?
All registered voters in all districts should be petitioned.Dupage Dude is correct.If ever there was a need for this,it is right “now”.
Your words “those 4 trustees slammed the door in our faces on June 2nd.
The question is "why”.We “must show them that there is voter and resident support for the project.Those 4 trustees who slammed the door in our faces must be held accountable for their actions.The residents of Lombard must know that the vote to demolish the theatre is not the "will of the residents of Lombard”.Waiting till November 17 for a positive ruling is not good enough.What happens after that? Dupage Dude is right.This will slip through our fingers like quicksilver if we don’t do this petition drive.
Quote from Patrick Crowley on Nov.2nd.“Remember.We can only save theatres if we "work together”.
Think about it.
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Best,
Patrick Crowley
Co-founder, Cinema Treasures
“You know,if we loose this because it’s plaqued,any of the other buildings can go down even faster."
Sure, I agree.I also have a brand new pair of hiking boots.
Those boots are made for walking.And talking.
Look how nice you boys are talking! It is fun to remember the childhood stomps. It would be funner to go back to them. In thr Dupe storefronts, we had a barber and a candy store- Ida Mae’s. It was an old fashioned soda shop too. This could easily be resaeached ans revived. The barber on Westmore would love to go there- the old guy that owned it trained him in the 70’s.
You know, if we lose this because its plaqued, any of the other buildings can go down even faster.
The only place we’ll see any of them is at the historic society achives- if that house is still standing.
Sure.But that is the way it goes sometimes.Oh well.At least we still have the “Duper”.
Let’s just hope the Library doesn’t go “south"as well. That would be a shame.
True Class. Sorry about that.Everything in “downtown” Lombard keeps going “downhill"
Ooops .I mean everything in "downtown” Lombard keeps going “south”.
You do know what I mean? Don’t you?
?