DuPage Theater
109 S. Main Street,
Lombard,
IL
60148
109 S. Main Street,
Lombard,
IL
60148
14 people
favorited this theater
Showing 51 - 75 of 1,253 comments
For the hard of reading Dupe neighbor.“I think that the Dupage Theatre and Arts Center and the Library can complement one another and that combination would be the "focal point” for downtown Lombard.“
Dupe neighhbor.Let’s try to work together for a solution to the library and and also a solution for saving the Dupage Theatre.
Let’s call it a "joint venture”.Remember.There is 43,500 square feet land adjacent to the Dupage Theatre.The library would fit nicely into that parcel.
I too, am worried. I would like to see the Friends doing more. While I may not agree with all of DuPage Dude’s posts, I have seen a lack of activity on the part of the Friends so close to a judicial decision that will change the landscape and character of Lombard forever, and I fear it’s in a very bad direction, one of a disregard for the past…
Can “toni” or any other member of the Friends bored tell me what they are doing to save the theatre?? I mean, besides their upcoming “Say Goodbye to the DuPage” cocktail party?
If they were serious, they would be all over the media, out on the streets, etc, garnering support. Maybe even try doing a petition drive…oh no wait, that would involve physical work, and they are either above it or too arrogant in their thinking, I can’t decide which…
I don’t understand your muddled explanation. Do you support the two together on one site or are you just talking in circles again?
If you do, get to work and talk with the library board about adaptive re-use. I think you can kiss the idea of the structure being used as an arts center goodbye. It will cost way too much to restore and not enough private funding has been secured. Perhaps it’s not too late to save a portion of the structure for re-use whether it be a library or retail but the time to start working on it is now. The court date is looming.
Thanks for the link but I think your time would be better served trying to save your building. That is a pointless waste of time as the clock is ticking…
Dupe neighbor,I have an interesting website that explains what happens when one “thinks outside the box.” I found it veeeery interestng.
www.sangraal.com/library/outside_the_box.htm
Dupe neighbor.Did those pedestrian safety issues suddenly fade away?
Did the underground water issues suddenly fade away? The underground water issues will be there ,with or without the theatre.
Do you remember what Trusee Tross said about the Library in downtown .
“ trustee Sebby when he said.
” Lombard residents wanted their “village hall in downtown Lombard,but look where it is now."
My point is just this.I think that the Dupage Theatre and Arts Center
and the Library can complement one another and that combination would be the "focal point” for downtown Lombard.
From the library website – a citizen’s survey was taken about library expansion. They were specifically asked about the possibility of moving the library to a location a few miles south of downtown (about as far as the Menards property).
Here was the response which should allow you to put this argument where it belongs – in the trash..
Of the citizen’s surveyed:
75% concurred the library should be downtown, at the current site if possible (whether in the existing building or a new building), or at least another downtown location. Only 6% would choose Southland Park as a first choice.
The traffic and pedestrian safety argument is BS. The library on the Dupe site would be able to be set back enough to allow safe drop off for kids, MUCH safer than how the library is situated right now which is right on top of busy Maple Street! That’s a theatre person’s excuse and it holds no water.
That proposal in 2000 was done with no changes made to the Dupe. If the library is going to work there, most of the building would have to go but parts of the theatre lobby and auditorium could be saved for re-use and as far as parking goes, that’s where a parking structure would be perfect for library and commuters.
Time to think outside the box – something you seem to be incapable of, before it’s too late.
BTW – you spelled Sky-Hi wrong, anyone who patronized it regularly like me remembers clearly the giant sign as you pulled in..
Dupe neighbor.From the Helen Plum Memorial Library website.
“The Library hired an architectural and engineering firm to investigate use of the Dupage Theatre for which the Village was accepting proposals by May ,2000,for adaptive reuse.The architects reported that the Theatre was not suitable from an architectural point of view,nor was it deemed large enough to accomodate the Library building and necessary parking spaces.There were also concerns about traffic and pedestrian safety, and underground water”.
Hummm?
The library at the Menard’s property is a ridiculous proposal. The library board would never consider something so ridiculous. How many children would be able to walk or ride bikes to that site?
That has to be the most foolish post you have ever made.
Dupe neighbor.The abandoned Menard’s building on rt.53 “screams ” library.It is like Dupage Dude said.The “abandoned” Menard’s building is “blighted”. It has been empty for almost 3 years now.
The building has more than enough sq. ft. and ample parking.
I don’t see why a totally restored and operating Dupage Theatre and Arts Center and the Library can’t co-exist.After all, the Library and the park district have co-existed for years.
There is almost 63,500 square feet on the south property adjacent to the theatre.More that adequate for the needs of the library.
Btw Dupe neighbor.I am surprised that your memory of the now “abandoned” Menard’s building site is a “porn store”. I remember the Ski Hi drive in movie theatre and the airfield.I remember watching airplanes landing and almost touching the tops of the cars that were on rt.53.I remember the Nike Missile site on the east side of t.53.
I remember watching the Ski Hi screen when on rt.53.
Dupe neighbor.If you only remember the “porno store”,then you must have been “Watching Something Else”.
Dude – What are you smokin?
You can tell you don’t live in Lombard…
See attached article from local newspaper:
Library’s interests could seal theater’s fate
By James Pluta
Staff writer
Published: 8/10/05
With a Lombard Village Board vote on planned demolition of the DuPage Theatre looming, members of the Helen Plum Memorial Library Board have expressed interest in the theater property for a new facility.
Five years ago, the Library Board rejected a village proposal to consider an adaptive reuse of the 77-year-old theater at Main Street and Parkside Avenue for library purposes. But the board recently voted 6-1 to send a letter to Village President William Mueller expressing interest in the theater property as a possible location for a new library.
This new letter, dated June 21, requested the library “be included in the planning meetings regarding the redevelopment of the downtown Lombard area including, but not limited to, the DuPage Theatre site.”
A follow-up letter of July 13 clarified the first to say the library would be specifically interested in the theater site “as a possible location for a new library” if it became available as one site among other possible downtown properties, library Executive Director Robert Harris said.
“People commonly come up to me and ask about the DuPage Theatre site, … and we’ve been thinking about it ever since it was given to the village” in May 2000, Harris said, adding the board was not interested before because it did not want to build a new library that would include the theater building. “If it were a flat piece of land, we’d consider that. My preference … would be I’d rather just have the land because it would be awkward to build a library around an existing structure.”
The letters have to date never been formally answered by the village.
The votes to send the letters were opposed by Library Board member Cindy Ward, who also is a member of the Friends of the DuPage Theatre. The Friends group is still interested in restoring the theater.
Plus, she said, the library has in the past formerly opposed moving downtown because it was not conducive to younger clientele. The library is at 110 W. Maple St., adjacent to Lilacia Park.
The letters, Harris said, were sent to the village “as a reminder, to refresh their memory” of the library’s interest in any downtown property large enough to accommodate a new library and parking twice as large as the existing 34,000-square-foot facility.
Mueller recently met with Library Board President Wayne Kankovsky. And although the village president indicated it is still too early to tell what could become of the talks, he said he would be willing to support the Library Board in meeting its needs. Kankovsky said he hopes his board can work in a cooperative manner with the village in planning for the future.
District 2 Village Trustee Richard Tross said any discussion about the library and the theater land is premature, but District 5 Village Trustee Kenneth Florey called the library’s decision ill-fated for political reasons.
“I’m a big supporter of the library renovation/expansion, but I’ve never thought the theater site would work for them because of political ramifications,” he said. “I am disappointed but not surprised (by the letters). I think it’s going to hurt the library toward getting a referendum passed because they’re definitely going to lose support. The timing of this is horrible because it looks like a cause and effect, like the library caused the theater to come down. This is political suicide, in my opinion, for any future referendum.”
The library’s renewed interest was embraced by District 4 Trustee Steven Sebby, who led the 4-2 Village Board vote to demolish the theater June 2.
“There is no question the library would be a good fit for the property,” he said. “The library can be a focal point to the downtown. The property was originally donated to the village as a gift, and I can’t think of any better use.”
Boy Neighbor, for someone who tries to pass themselves off as being sooo invloved in Lombard, you sure don’t seem like it. The library board has publically said, on many occasions, that they are NOT INTERESTED in the theatre property for the library. Why would you want something that young, unattended children buzz in and out of all day, not to mention the traffic from parents dropping their kids off, on a MAIN ROAD through town? Talk about GRIDLOCK!!!
Speaking of the old Menards property, why hasn’t the Village Board declared it “blighted” or a “economic liability” like they did for Yorktown? It certianly applies more in the case of Menards than the mall. What is the first thing that visitors see when they get off the tollway? A run-down, abandoned mall, a symbol of the way things work in Lombard—“If you ain’t by the Mall, you priority is very small”
Duper-
I can’t believe that you, a self proclaimed expert on the history of Lombard, doesn’t remember the adult book store/porn shop that used to occupy the corner of the old Menards lot!!! It was there for years and thank God the village finally forced them out a few years back.
My point is that if you think the library is going to go out on North Ave, you’re dreaming! It’s staying DOWNTOWN where it belongs and yes if they can save part of the theatre and incorporate it in, fine but you people better start talking to the library board and get the wheels in motion.
Dupage Dude.The Dupage Theatre restoration and operation has always been “under the microscope”.There has never has there been a development in Lombard that has been scrutinized,debated ,inspected,disected and opinionated upon as is the Dupage theatre.Not one.And that includes the 200 million dollar convention center.
I saw on the anti-theatre web site that someone asked why the convention center is 65 million over it’s original figure yet no one is questioning it at all. Yet the theatre is under such a microscope it’s not even funny. Something sure is wrong with the logic on this one…
Can anyone provide me with a few pieces of information?
1. Time and courtroom number for the 17th.
2. Names of the 4 demolition companies who submitted bids to the VOL.
Dupage Dude,I couldn’t agree more.Referenums aren’t getting passed these days in Lombard. THe library and school district 87 had 3 referendums already and all failed.Lombard needs a referendum for their proposed sales tax increase.The trustees all fell in line stating that the wording must be understandable.With all of the money already dumped into that conference center and hotel, who knows what will happen in the future with tax incerases.What amazes me is that Lombard cries poor mouth and then builds a convention center that will not add money to Lombards tax base.But make no mistake about it.They suuure are concerned about TIF
dollars forn the theatre.Go figure!
Let me remind everyone of my last post today…
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 separate 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 I’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.
dupe neighbor.Me not Jim.Good idea about the library at the “abandoned "
Menards building. Wouldn’t you say?You know perfectly well that Lombard would have no part of a "porn store ” as you have said .Now would they?Why did you say such a nasty thing?
However,a fully restored theatre with a library next to the theatre on the vacant 63,455 square feet adjacent south property sounds workable.
Medlers had an excellent idea.Don’t you think?
BTW Duper Jim –
Go build your new arts center on the old Menards/porn store site out on 53! The library is staying DOWNTOWN where it belongs and the ideal spot is the current site of the Dupe. You should be trying to find ways to combine part of the old theatre and the new library instead of bashing trustees night and day…the clock is ticking.
Life’s too short.Kudos.Congratulations.What a great url.
Ms.Dynako & toni…..From Life’s to short.
www.cinematour.com/picview.php?db=us&id=13661
Again.Kudos to Life’s too short.
Unconcerned Exlombardian.Pay no attention to Dupe neighbor or any of the other anti-preservationist/ theatre haters.
“Post around them!”
Unconcerned Exlombardian-
I got news for you – the new DuPage Theatre plan included more of the “monolithic” condos you refer to, and your info on the towns you mention is inaccurate as well. Geneva no longer has it’s old theatre, it was gutted an turned into retail and St. Charles theatre is in limbo due to lack of profits.
Your comment about Lombard being a “craphole” only further proves your ignorance. It may not be as nice as Glen Ellyn, but at least it’s not as bad as Woodridge – talk about a craphole!
Incidentally it’s “politicians” NOT “polititions”. It’s a good thing you lost that election Jim, since you can’t spell it, you should definitely not have become one.
This is interesting:
View link
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.