And you Ray are certainly not fit to walk in their footsteps either with your ongoing vendetta to anyone not in favor of preservation.
How could the library get $9.5 million in TIF if the library is not even a tax producing parcel? TIF can only come from development that generates property tax (thus the increment)growth….and giving millions in TIF to the library is simply not prudent.
What issues for a library? Has a library design with a need for setback variances, landscape variances, parking variances, traffic issues, and flood control variances come before the planning authorities? No it has not….and likely never will according to well placed sources. That idea was tossed out years ago and will never garner support from the board (library, park, and village!)
Now back to preservation issues…as this is a theatre advocacy site and not a platform for political follies.
A little late now that the theatre is gone thanks to the Friends failed plan wouldn’t you say Ray? Or does “preservation at any cost” mean rebuild it brick by brick using millions more in TIF? If preservation was so important then why couldn’t the friends fund it themselves and instead were relying so heavily on TIF (property tax $$)??? Preservation at any cost failed because preservation only works if it is fiscally prudent and in this case it was NOT. Preservation at any cost fails time and time again….use your own money for that agenda, not TAX DOLLARS.
You are right Restoration Rita…skip the library, skip saving any of the historic aspects, and instead build another unwarranted condo complex with a hair salon, a dentist office, and the prerequisite drugstore and give a 1200 square foot space to the arts. That is what downtown needs to thrive.
And you’re right that “your sount of ‘28’ is wrong by a long shot”…more like a dozen (Kevin, Laura, Deb, Dana, John, Barb, Virginia to name a few) tops is the reality of their support. Can you name anyone else?
And Rita just what is a “cultrual” center and what are “memebers”?
When is a theatre still a theatre? Is it still a “cinema treasure” even after the theatre itself has been torn down with the support of the same group that tried to save it? Kind of an oxymoron isn’t it?
One has to simply laugh at the tactics this theatre group is turning to for saving what remains of the theatre itself(simply a lobby really) ….berating the trustees, faiing to work with the community to embrace a plan for a new arts center, and, best of all, placing two candidates on the ballot to influence the village board…truly puppet candidates to their theatre cause and sadly running for the most part unopposed….and all this to save what WAS a historic theatre.
The Friends, the media, and even state/local government officials seem to forget time and time again that the theatre is GONE. It was already torn down and now it is time for the rest of it to go. An example of how not to save a cinema treasure…politics, egos, and continued lack of community wide financial support did this project in years ago. This saga has been going on for years and years and simply needs to come to an end once and for all. Embrace the memories of what was and what could have been but close the book for good and move on as the saved remmnants are used in new buildings whether for the park district commmunity/rec center, the library, or whatever else comes forward in the near future.
The other plans many are talking about are for an arts center and library….and one that takes many of the architectural pieces that were saved from the theatre and utilizes them throughout the new public spaces. I got a purple flyer on my door this weekend from a library group and they have a website with some of the best ideas we have seen yet for the theatre and the library. It is www.LombardLamp.org
How cool it will be to see the history of what was the theatre come alive in a beautiful new space for all the residents and visitors alike to embrace. That theatre trustee lady told us that she envisions a town center concept too….and what better part of a town center could there be than a library?
So Ray do political signs in side windows influence votes or is it simply done out of spite to your neighbor? Why is it that “write in the right choice” is popping up all over town? Could it be those three little words, The DuPage Theatre, have finally got voters finally fed up enough to demand action? And what’s this we hear of another “write in the right choice” candidate coming forth to take on Laura(aka Kevin)? Will sure make for an interesting election…as more and more Lombardians are quickly learning that WRITE IN is the RIGHT CHOICE this election season.
The kicker is that latest article fails to mention that the auditorium was already bulldozed…and the picture is from years ago rather than a current picture. Word around town is that the site will be cleared in a few weeks and remnants of the demolished structure will be incorporated into a new library and cultural arts center on the site.
So much for healing from New Lombard….speaking of feeble efforts to make good one need only watch the replay of the village board meeting to see hate spewing from Fitzy and his friends. Ouch….and out of order on more than one occassion. Thanks for the good laugh (in disgust really)…the replays will go down as some of the best board highlights in the history of the lilac village. Your Lombard Pride really dims to near darkness when you speak with such low regard of the sensible trustees that could see right through your games. Watch for the minutes in a few weeks at www.villageoflombard.org
Speaking of bulldozers taking out historic landmarks, one need only read the details of your continued failure to restore this theare at www.dupagetheatre.net and how with a heavy heart you finally gave in and let her come tumbling down after years of failing to raise sufficient funds or even widespread community support.
There was NEVER any plan submitted that included restoration of the entire theatre complex and shops without the need for code variances or TIF funding. And if there was PROVE IT….which you can’t. The village would have welcomed such a proposal with open arms!! And the one that could have saved it as an operator of classic cinemas throughout the suburbs said “no thanks” because the Dupe was not a viable financial gamble for anyone in their right mind. Heal, Ray, heal. Let it go and let your neighbor move on to bigger and better things like the school board (where he can advocate for more spending for the arts among other things!).
Wow….is this part of the healing process Ray? What are DEETS Ray? Dragged along for two years by the village? Nope Ray, the Friends dragged the village along for a dance with their developer and it turned out they were indeed “dancing with the devil” as the devil is in the details. And the details in this plan is what did it in, including the fatal step of allowing the auditorium to come down. Kind of tough to restore a historic theatre when all that is left is the lobby isn’t it Ray? Were they the Friends of the DuPage Theatre or simply Friends of Our Lobby (FOOL’s)? Guess the FOOL’s lost and the Charlotte Street neighbors won with their collective partnership and plan of attack.
And it is a MOVIE theatre in downtown Elmhurst…a multiplex! Certainly not a restoration of a classic theatre but instead made profitable by making it into nearly half a dozen “boxes”. And by the way have you noticed the empty storefronts in Elmhurst? WOW! And let’s not even begin to talk about Glen Ellyn and Wheaton’s struggles to maintain their downtown charm. The truly successful downtown is Naperville (but even that has pushed out the local charm and turned into the likes of any other suburban “mall”) The Glen in Glen Ellyn is a MOVIE theatre and the Wheaton, well that is as messed up as the Dupe with lawsuits and the likes of LTS trying to raise money to turn it into who knows what (but at least not with 120 condos and $10 million in TIF).
The Daily Herald reports today that the Friend’s are ready to lend their support to the candidate going up against Demolition Man Tross. Those 28 voters will really sway the election…but wait two of the 28 (one being the puppet and her “master”) are running for board seats themselves. One would hope that candidate Gianorio would say “thanks but no thanks” to the curse of the friends. They would deconstruct and destroy his candidacy just as they have their once beloved grand dame theatre.
In other news, the wrecking contract is expected to be delivered to village hall today. Will the village president listen to the voice of the people and sign it to end this or will it be delayed for weeks on end? Delay it and expect calls for your resignation. Can they impeach a village president for failing to act on the will of the people? Guess us nearby residents will find out….and take our own trek to Wheaton (and not for the theatre).
Is that development you mention the 200 apartments that were threatened by the same one that mentioned heading to Wheaton? I really think you could use a pie…maybe that would calm your nerves and then get you to realize that the arts will indeed thrive in Lombard with the new plan that is quickly coming forth. You know…the one with 8,000-10,000 square feet of community dedicated space in addtion to condos and retail space and plenty of parking…there is a deal being worked out right now with a few of the same players. Lombard will indeed heal…the sad part is that it will forever be splintered for as long as they let it be. What a shame they can’t put it behind them and embrace the arts for what they are. The building itself is not what it is all about….it is the celebration of the arts themselves.
Healing? That leaves scabs and scars that will remain for four more years as the face of our village board changes…..and if Lombard is so blighted then PLEASE take your cause to Wheaton. Why stay and mess up the lilac village anymore with your friendly antics? There is a theatre waiting for you….maybe your group can go 2 for 2 in the deconstruction game.
Is that a threat? There are programs to help you with that anger…maybe TrueClass could even bake you one of her fabulous pies to calm your nerves. Five screen names? What? Life’s too short for that…and speaking of frivolous lawsuits, the Dupe group can certainly relate to the pain you’re feeling in Wheaton. Check out what they have to say about what’s next at www.dupagetheatre.net
Sounds like Wheaton could use the friends….with their inflated egos and all…they’d fit right in with you LTS. Lombard is blight? Do tell…only blight is right downtown where the theatre once stood. Wheaton is full of itself with an overly righteous attitude as pushed by the college agenda and the likes of you. And given all the lawsuits that have stalled the Wheaton Theatre dreams it will be years before it enhances their community. No attack but reality is what it is….and life is indeed to short to argue over such petty attacks that you put forth. Maybe “Theatre Buff” can come to Wheaton and save the day…..before it is too late there too.
And move forward with final demolition they did…even with the veiled threat of legal action from the overly “friendly” trustee.
The unfunded dream of the friends has ended so one would hope but news sources today reported that legal action seems to be brewing. On what grounds who knows….and those friends certainly did not make any friends with the village board with their mean spirited and heartless attacks. One can only hope they pack up and move to Wheaton to save their theatre…maybe that is what the trustee meant given that Wheaton’s old dame is in the same boat as the DuPage once was (in need of restoration with NO MONEY to do it).
Friends of the DuPage can take their cause to Wheaton alright….just stay away from the courts. Lombard deserves better and let progress move forward without your group.
The resolution passed 4-2…and now it is only a matter of days before we see some legal action taken to prevent the demolition. The “friends” trustee stated during the debate that it is heading to Wheaton (the county seat where other legal action was heard) so you know another sorry lawsuit is forthcoming….makes one have such Lombard PRIDE. There is much of talk of healing…but it was more like “a bunch of heels” ripping in to the trustee from the few remaining theatre supporters. Sad day….the worst of Lombard really shined forth from a few bitter theatre supporters. Classic viewing on TV-6…should be TIVO’d for all to enjoy as it shows the class of that arts crowd.
And she is engaging the evils of cell towers and the wonderful aspect of the arts in black boxes in surveys being sent to residents. Did she have permission to pass out political flyers on private property? Does Father realize that church and state shall not mix?
Halfway to done….over and out. And no more Ray…the village rejoices as he has said “bye all”. Now the bigger question is what deal the village president, who claims to be neutral on this board or the new board finishing up this issue, has cut with his dear friends.
Trustee John “Jack†O’Brien said he suspects the developer is “using a lack of information as a delay tactic, hoping the political situation changes.†Could that be because of the two supporters running for the board?? Hmmmm….what deal was promised??
Conversely, Fitzpatrick has said she’s (“he said she said”…she is like a puppet as the ventriloquist/husband pulls the strings and puts words in her mouth) worried the current board is rushing a demolition vote for its own devices. (and to not allow two over interested parties to have a voice in its demise).
In the case of District 4, candidate Moreau would replace Steve Sebby, who’s consistently voted against the theater plan and is not seeking re-election. (has a challenger really come forth to unseat her plan??)
Village President William Mueller states:
“It doesn’t make a difference if the current board makes it or a new board does, we’ve invested too much time, talent and money to say we’ll cut it off because of the stormwater issue.†Excuses, excuses, excuses…time to simply admit it is over.
Developer Curto said that, despite growing concern about the project, he sees his relationship with the village as salvageable. (of coursee it is…he wants the millions in possible TIF for any type of project at this corner even without the theatre!)
“It would certainly be a significant disappointment to a lot of people, including ourselves, if a theater that has historical presence of this type of town center is destroyed,†he said. Destroyed? Has the theatre itself been torn down? YES!!!!…but it is only a matter of time before his “project B” shows up that meets code and skips the theatre component completely…but still asks for millions in TIF.
That’s not news…that’s a fabrication of the real story being that come March 1st the village will pass a resolution authorizing the demolition of what is left of the DuPage Theatre. The theatre site is indeed a hot topic in town but now that the theatre itself is gone (and the remaining lobby and decrepit old shoppes coming down in a few weeks) the village can move forward on serious proposals for new development that are not hampered by the unfunded preservation agenda.
That has got to be one of the most humorous posts yet…and supposedly from Ray. Who are you kidding?
Said Ray…..“The Planning Commission approved the development plan and all members went on record stating their approval of an arts center.” Did you watch the same meeting we did on TV-6? Every planning commision member stated the problems with the plan…and their approval was only if several conditions were met. Those conditions make the project no longer economically feasible for RSC.
Said Ray…“Absent from the Plan commission meeting was their chairman who has been against any theatre restoration for at least 9 years.” What does that have to do with it? If he had been there the meeting would not have gone out of control like it did…with RSC again failing to produce an acceptable product that would not need 12+ conditions to be met before moving forward.
Ray says…“A developer and restoration architect, both with excellent credentials, negotiated for almost 1 year with Lombard Village staff for a development agreement. 21 questions that Village Trustees wanted addressed were satisfied by the developer. Village staff approved everything except parking for the theatre portion.” Now that is an outright lie…typical friendspeak as it is called in Lombard. No parking relief (299 seat theatre and NO parking!), landscaping issues, height issues, setback issues, lighting issues, signage issues, and the final nail in the coffin: stormwater management. The plan commission even questioned how the developer can time and time again fail to address the issues that have been brought to their attention and continually ignored.
The so called conditional approval was simply a “wash our hands of this mess” and the let the Village Board be the bad guys to move forward with the demolition. How many years has it been? How many failed attempts? When is enough finally enough? It was the friends of the theatre themselves that embraced the plan that tore it down and now the village is simply taking the final step to remove the rest of it once and for all. Progress is what it is…you win some and you lose some and this one is likely lost (but the truly historic part was lost already…who really cares about a lobby anyway??). And yes the votes are there…they are over it and with the board make up changing come spring, this board deserves to be the board to end it once and for all. Good riddance….and as Trustee Tross stated, “let the healing begin”. AMEN to that.
Preservation via demolition has taken another giant step forward as the village of Lombard announced the interior gutting has begun and the roof will be removed the week of December 4th…and the Friends of the DuPage Theatre applaud this as progress. But then a new 299 seat theatre is a lovely addition to any downtown…except when the developer seeks assorted variances to provide absolutely no onsite parking, increases in height, reduction in setbacks, and a waiver on landscaping (who needs trees?) among other things. Can you imagine a 299 seat theatre with no parking?
Be sure to express your heartfelt congratulations to the Friends of the DuPage Theatre…their contact info is readily available at http://www.dupagetheatre.net
While on their site be sure to read about their past legal wranglings and threats (along with state and federal preservation groups) to prevent demolition…then their about face to fully ebrace tearing it down!
The Dupe has a date with demolition….early December is the word on the street now that the village has approved a $250,000 contract with a wrecking crew. The once historic auditorium will be reduced to a pile of rubble while “experts” attempt to “shore up” the crossover lobby and entryway in hopes of incorporating it into some future development on the site. So Lombard is now left with a lobby exposed to the elements….and the preservation agenda calls this progress.
The irony is that ths same group that sued the village to block the demolition last year is now advocating the demolition as a step in the right direction…..unreal. What a mess it will be when the demo crew says “oops..was that wall supposed to come down that way?”.
What good is a historic theatre building without the theatre itself? Is the DuPage Theatre still a theatre once the theatre is torn down?
Learn more about their progress in demolishing a historic theatre all in the name of preservation at http://www.dupagetheatre.net
Does the Dupe move to the “demolished” status once this plan by the preservationists demolishes the theatre but replaces it with what they call a black box? What’s so historic about a lobby when the theatre itself is replaced with a parking deck and unwarranted condos? It is time for progress and the theatre zealots need to realize that you win some and you lose some…and with this one everyone loses despite your continued claim of “saving the grand dame”. The so called preservation efforts have not saved the theatre and have instead created a political firestorm that will result in major housecleaning of the obvioulsy inept village board in the next election. Victory is bittersweet in that you got what you fought against for so many years….the Friends are bringing on the wrecking ball to the boarded up eyesore on Main Stret. The irony will be when the wind shifts and the whole place ends up in a big pile of dust and debris.
And you Ray are certainly not fit to walk in their footsteps either with your ongoing vendetta to anyone not in favor of preservation.
How could the library get $9.5 million in TIF if the library is not even a tax producing parcel? TIF can only come from development that generates property tax (thus the increment)growth….and giving millions in TIF to the library is simply not prudent.
What issues for a library? Has a library design with a need for setback variances, landscape variances, parking variances, traffic issues, and flood control variances come before the planning authorities? No it has not….and likely never will according to well placed sources. That idea was tossed out years ago and will never garner support from the board (library, park, and village!)
Now back to preservation issues…as this is a theatre advocacy site and not a platform for political follies.
A little late now that the theatre is gone thanks to the Friends failed plan wouldn’t you say Ray? Or does “preservation at any cost” mean rebuild it brick by brick using millions more in TIF? If preservation was so important then why couldn’t the friends fund it themselves and instead were relying so heavily on TIF (property tax $$)??? Preservation at any cost failed because preservation only works if it is fiscally prudent and in this case it was NOT. Preservation at any cost fails time and time again….use your own money for that agenda, not TAX DOLLARS.
You are right Restoration Rita…skip the library, skip saving any of the historic aspects, and instead build another unwarranted condo complex with a hair salon, a dentist office, and the prerequisite drugstore and give a 1200 square foot space to the arts. That is what downtown needs to thrive.
And you’re right that “your sount of ‘28’ is wrong by a long shot”…more like a dozen (Kevin, Laura, Deb, Dana, John, Barb, Virginia to name a few) tops is the reality of their support. Can you name anyone else?
And Rita just what is a “cultrual” center and what are “memebers”?
When is a theatre still a theatre? Is it still a “cinema treasure” even after the theatre itself has been torn down with the support of the same group that tried to save it? Kind of an oxymoron isn’t it?
One has to simply laugh at the tactics this theatre group is turning to for saving what remains of the theatre itself(simply a lobby really) ….berating the trustees, faiing to work with the community to embrace a plan for a new arts center, and, best of all, placing two candidates on the ballot to influence the village board…truly puppet candidates to their theatre cause and sadly running for the most part unopposed….and all this to save what WAS a historic theatre.
The Friends, the media, and even state/local government officials seem to forget time and time again that the theatre is GONE. It was already torn down and now it is time for the rest of it to go. An example of how not to save a cinema treasure…politics, egos, and continued lack of community wide financial support did this project in years ago. This saga has been going on for years and years and simply needs to come to an end once and for all. Embrace the memories of what was and what could have been but close the book for good and move on as the saved remmnants are used in new buildings whether for the park district commmunity/rec center, the library, or whatever else comes forward in the near future.
The other plans many are talking about are for an arts center and library….and one that takes many of the architectural pieces that were saved from the theatre and utilizes them throughout the new public spaces. I got a purple flyer on my door this weekend from a library group and they have a website with some of the best ideas we have seen yet for the theatre and the library. It is www.LombardLamp.org
How cool it will be to see the history of what was the theatre come alive in a beautiful new space for all the residents and visitors alike to embrace. That theatre trustee lady told us that she envisions a town center concept too….and what better part of a town center could there be than a library?
So Ray do political signs in side windows influence votes or is it simply done out of spite to your neighbor? Why is it that “write in the right choice” is popping up all over town? Could it be those three little words, The DuPage Theatre, have finally got voters finally fed up enough to demand action? And what’s this we hear of another “write in the right choice” candidate coming forth to take on Laura(aka Kevin)? Will sure make for an interesting election…as more and more Lombardians are quickly learning that WRITE IN is the RIGHT CHOICE this election season.
The kicker is that latest article fails to mention that the auditorium was already bulldozed…and the picture is from years ago rather than a current picture. Word around town is that the site will be cleared in a few weeks and remnants of the demolished structure will be incorporated into a new library and cultural arts center on the site.
So much for healing from New Lombard….speaking of feeble efforts to make good one need only watch the replay of the village board meeting to see hate spewing from Fitzy and his friends. Ouch….and out of order on more than one occassion. Thanks for the good laugh (in disgust really)…the replays will go down as some of the best board highlights in the history of the lilac village. Your Lombard Pride really dims to near darkness when you speak with such low regard of the sensible trustees that could see right through your games. Watch for the minutes in a few weeks at www.villageoflombard.org
Speaking of bulldozers taking out historic landmarks, one need only read the details of your continued failure to restore this theare at www.dupagetheatre.net and how with a heavy heart you finally gave in and let her come tumbling down after years of failing to raise sufficient funds or even widespread community support.
He’ll do you one better…he will serve us all proud on the school board.
There was NEVER any plan submitted that included restoration of the entire theatre complex and shops without the need for code variances or TIF funding. And if there was PROVE IT….which you can’t. The village would have welcomed such a proposal with open arms!! And the one that could have saved it as an operator of classic cinemas throughout the suburbs said “no thanks” because the Dupe was not a viable financial gamble for anyone in their right mind. Heal, Ray, heal. Let it go and let your neighbor move on to bigger and better things like the school board (where he can advocate for more spending for the arts among other things!).
Wow….is this part of the healing process Ray? What are DEETS Ray? Dragged along for two years by the village? Nope Ray, the Friends dragged the village along for a dance with their developer and it turned out they were indeed “dancing with the devil” as the devil is in the details. And the details in this plan is what did it in, including the fatal step of allowing the auditorium to come down. Kind of tough to restore a historic theatre when all that is left is the lobby isn’t it Ray? Were they the Friends of the DuPage Theatre or simply Friends of Our Lobby (FOOL’s)? Guess the FOOL’s lost and the Charlotte Street neighbors won with their collective partnership and plan of attack.
And it is a MOVIE theatre in downtown Elmhurst…a multiplex! Certainly not a restoration of a classic theatre but instead made profitable by making it into nearly half a dozen “boxes”. And by the way have you noticed the empty storefronts in Elmhurst? WOW! And let’s not even begin to talk about Glen Ellyn and Wheaton’s struggles to maintain their downtown charm. The truly successful downtown is Naperville (but even that has pushed out the local charm and turned into the likes of any other suburban “mall”) The Glen in Glen Ellyn is a MOVIE theatre and the Wheaton, well that is as messed up as the Dupe with lawsuits and the likes of LTS trying to raise money to turn it into who knows what (but at least not with 120 condos and $10 million in TIF).
The Daily Herald reports today that the Friend’s are ready to lend their support to the candidate going up against Demolition Man Tross. Those 28 voters will really sway the election…but wait two of the 28 (one being the puppet and her “master”) are running for board seats themselves. One would hope that candidate Gianorio would say “thanks but no thanks” to the curse of the friends. They would deconstruct and destroy his candidacy just as they have their once beloved grand dame theatre.
In other news, the wrecking contract is expected to be delivered to village hall today. Will the village president listen to the voice of the people and sign it to end this or will it be delayed for weeks on end? Delay it and expect calls for your resignation. Can they impeach a village president for failing to act on the will of the people? Guess us nearby residents will find out….and take our own trek to Wheaton (and not for the theatre).
Is that development you mention the 200 apartments that were threatened by the same one that mentioned heading to Wheaton? I really think you could use a pie…maybe that would calm your nerves and then get you to realize that the arts will indeed thrive in Lombard with the new plan that is quickly coming forth. You know…the one with 8,000-10,000 square feet of community dedicated space in addtion to condos and retail space and plenty of parking…there is a deal being worked out right now with a few of the same players. Lombard will indeed heal…the sad part is that it will forever be splintered for as long as they let it be. What a shame they can’t put it behind them and embrace the arts for what they are. The building itself is not what it is all about….it is the celebration of the arts themselves.
Healing? That leaves scabs and scars that will remain for four more years as the face of our village board changes…..and if Lombard is so blighted then PLEASE take your cause to Wheaton. Why stay and mess up the lilac village anymore with your friendly antics? There is a theatre waiting for you….maybe your group can go 2 for 2 in the deconstruction game.
Is that a threat? There are programs to help you with that anger…maybe TrueClass could even bake you one of her fabulous pies to calm your nerves. Five screen names? What? Life’s too short for that…and speaking of frivolous lawsuits, the Dupe group can certainly relate to the pain you’re feeling in Wheaton. Check out what they have to say about what’s next at www.dupagetheatre.net
Sounds like Wheaton could use the friends….with their inflated egos and all…they’d fit right in with you LTS. Lombard is blight? Do tell…only blight is right downtown where the theatre once stood. Wheaton is full of itself with an overly righteous attitude as pushed by the college agenda and the likes of you. And given all the lawsuits that have stalled the Wheaton Theatre dreams it will be years before it enhances their community. No attack but reality is what it is….and life is indeed to short to argue over such petty attacks that you put forth. Maybe “Theatre Buff” can come to Wheaton and save the day…..before it is too late there too.
And move forward with final demolition they did…even with the veiled threat of legal action from the overly “friendly” trustee.
The unfunded dream of the friends has ended so one would hope but news sources today reported that legal action seems to be brewing. On what grounds who knows….and those friends certainly did not make any friends with the village board with their mean spirited and heartless attacks. One can only hope they pack up and move to Wheaton to save their theatre…maybe that is what the trustee meant given that Wheaton’s old dame is in the same boat as the DuPage once was (in need of restoration with NO MONEY to do it).
Friends of the DuPage can take their cause to Wheaton alright….just stay away from the courts. Lombard deserves better and let progress move forward without your group.
The resolution passed 4-2…and now it is only a matter of days before we see some legal action taken to prevent the demolition. The “friends” trustee stated during the debate that it is heading to Wheaton (the county seat where other legal action was heard) so you know another sorry lawsuit is forthcoming….makes one have such Lombard PRIDE. There is much of talk of healing…but it was more like “a bunch of heels” ripping in to the trustee from the few remaining theatre supporters. Sad day….the worst of Lombard really shined forth from a few bitter theatre supporters. Classic viewing on TV-6…should be TIVO’d for all to enjoy as it shows the class of that arts crowd.
And she is engaging the evils of cell towers and the wonderful aspect of the arts in black boxes in surveys being sent to residents. Did she have permission to pass out political flyers on private property? Does Father realize that church and state shall not mix?
View link
Halfway to done….over and out. And no more Ray…the village rejoices as he has said “bye all”. Now the bigger question is what deal the village president, who claims to be neutral on this board or the new board finishing up this issue, has cut with his dear friends.
Trustee John “Jack†O’Brien said he suspects the developer is “using a lack of information as a delay tactic, hoping the political situation changes.†Could that be because of the two supporters running for the board?? Hmmmm….what deal was promised??
Conversely, Fitzpatrick has said she’s (“he said she said”…she is like a puppet as the ventriloquist/husband pulls the strings and puts words in her mouth) worried the current board is rushing a demolition vote for its own devices. (and to not allow two over interested parties to have a voice in its demise).
In the case of District 4, candidate Moreau would replace Steve Sebby, who’s consistently voted against the theater plan and is not seeking re-election. (has a challenger really come forth to unseat her plan??)
Village President William Mueller states:
“It doesn’t make a difference if the current board makes it or a new board does, we’ve invested too much time, talent and money to say we’ll cut it off because of the stormwater issue.†Excuses, excuses, excuses…time to simply admit it is over.
Developer Curto said that, despite growing concern about the project, he sees his relationship with the village as salvageable. (of coursee it is…he wants the millions in possible TIF for any type of project at this corner even without the theatre!)
“It would certainly be a significant disappointment to a lot of people, including ourselves, if a theater that has historical presence of this type of town center is destroyed,†he said. Destroyed? Has the theatre itself been torn down? YES!!!!…but it is only a matter of time before his “project B” shows up that meets code and skips the theatre component completely…but still asks for millions in TIF.
That’s not news…that’s a fabrication of the real story being that come March 1st the village will pass a resolution authorizing the demolition of what is left of the DuPage Theatre. The theatre site is indeed a hot topic in town but now that the theatre itself is gone (and the remaining lobby and decrepit old shoppes coming down in a few weeks) the village can move forward on serious proposals for new development that are not hampered by the unfunded preservation agenda.
That has got to be one of the most humorous posts yet…and supposedly from Ray. Who are you kidding?
Said Ray…..“The Planning Commission approved the development plan and all members went on record stating their approval of an arts center.” Did you watch the same meeting we did on TV-6? Every planning commision member stated the problems with the plan…and their approval was only if several conditions were met. Those conditions make the project no longer economically feasible for RSC.
Said Ray…“Absent from the Plan commission meeting was their chairman who has been against any theatre restoration for at least 9 years.” What does that have to do with it? If he had been there the meeting would not have gone out of control like it did…with RSC again failing to produce an acceptable product that would not need 12+ conditions to be met before moving forward.
Ray says…“A developer and restoration architect, both with excellent credentials, negotiated for almost 1 year with Lombard Village staff for a development agreement. 21 questions that Village Trustees wanted addressed were satisfied by the developer. Village staff approved everything except parking for the theatre portion.” Now that is an outright lie…typical friendspeak as it is called in Lombard. No parking relief (299 seat theatre and NO parking!), landscaping issues, height issues, setback issues, lighting issues, signage issues, and the final nail in the coffin: stormwater management. The plan commission even questioned how the developer can time and time again fail to address the issues that have been brought to their attention and continually ignored.
The so called conditional approval was simply a “wash our hands of this mess” and the let the Village Board be the bad guys to move forward with the demolition. How many years has it been? How many failed attempts? When is enough finally enough? It was the friends of the theatre themselves that embraced the plan that tore it down and now the village is simply taking the final step to remove the rest of it once and for all. Progress is what it is…you win some and you lose some and this one is likely lost (but the truly historic part was lost already…who really cares about a lobby anyway??). And yes the votes are there…they are over it and with the board make up changing come spring, this board deserves to be the board to end it once and for all. Good riddance….and as Trustee Tross stated, “let the healing begin”. AMEN to that.
Preservation via demolition has taken another giant step forward as the village of Lombard announced the interior gutting has begun and the roof will be removed the week of December 4th…and the Friends of the DuPage Theatre applaud this as progress. But then a new 299 seat theatre is a lovely addition to any downtown…except when the developer seeks assorted variances to provide absolutely no onsite parking, increases in height, reduction in setbacks, and a waiver on landscaping (who needs trees?) among other things. Can you imagine a 299 seat theatre with no parking?
Be sure to express your heartfelt congratulations to the Friends of the DuPage Theatre…their contact info is readily available at http://www.dupagetheatre.net
While on their site be sure to read about their past legal wranglings and threats (along with state and federal preservation groups) to prevent demolition…then their about face to fully ebrace tearing it down!
The Dupe has a date with demolition….early December is the word on the street now that the village has approved a $250,000 contract with a wrecking crew. The once historic auditorium will be reduced to a pile of rubble while “experts” attempt to “shore up” the crossover lobby and entryway in hopes of incorporating it into some future development on the site. So Lombard is now left with a lobby exposed to the elements….and the preservation agenda calls this progress.
The irony is that ths same group that sued the village to block the demolition last year is now advocating the demolition as a step in the right direction…..unreal. What a mess it will be when the demo crew says “oops..was that wall supposed to come down that way?”.
What good is a historic theatre building without the theatre itself? Is the DuPage Theatre still a theatre once the theatre is torn down?
Learn more about their progress in demolishing a historic theatre all in the name of preservation at http://www.dupagetheatre.net
Does the Dupe move to the “demolished” status once this plan by the preservationists demolishes the theatre but replaces it with what they call a black box? What’s so historic about a lobby when the theatre itself is replaced with a parking deck and unwarranted condos? It is time for progress and the theatre zealots need to realize that you win some and you lose some…and with this one everyone loses despite your continued claim of “saving the grand dame”. The so called preservation efforts have not saved the theatre and have instead created a political firestorm that will result in major housecleaning of the obvioulsy inept village board in the next election. Victory is bittersweet in that you got what you fought against for so many years….the Friends are bringing on the wrecking ball to the boarded up eyesore on Main Stret. The irony will be when the wind shifts and the whole place ends up in a big pile of dust and debris.