DuPage Theater
109 S. Main Street,
Lombard,
IL
60148
109 S. Main Street,
Lombard,
IL
60148
14 people
favorited this theater
Showing 901 - 925 of 1,253 comments
I know that the Dupe was not to be a movie theater, but it seemed to me that it was going to still be a theater. Why incorporate pieces of the theater if you do not save the facade? It also seems to me that the city is not interested in the site for the library either. What bothers me about this is it seems that there is some kind of deal going on behind the scenes. If someone was going to give the money to seal the theater for six months, why not take it? And I want someone to tell me what kind of plan had to be developed in order to save it. It seemed that every plan from various groups and developers was rejected because “it might raise taxes”. It seems to me that this is not really a anti-tax issue, but an anti-theater issue.
Melders- I disagree. If the few historic parts of the Dupe are removed before demolition and used in the new library or retail that goes there. It will be a happy medium. These items include the ticket booth, light fixtures and some items for the historical museum (old projectors etc) I don’t think there will be many regrets. Remember the Dupe was not going to be a movie theatre like the old days and believe me when I say it was in REALLY bad shape. Gaping holes in the ceilings, rot, mold, no seats. The old owner turned off the heat and the pipes exploded inside all the walls and he painted over the old mural that was on the wall. The attached apt building was completely condemnable and unsafe. I think the village was right but it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
Corvette guy – THE DUPE WAS NOT GOING TO BE A MOVIE THEATRE! If you think the dance recitals and small theater productions planned at the Dupe were going to draw teenagers, that were otherwise going to vandalize the town, then I don’t think you know many teenagers. The police blotter you quoted could have come from any local paper in the country, theatre or not. The rise in drugs, sex and crime in teens comes from the breakdown of the family NOT the breakdown of old theaters. Please get a grip on reality and stop breathing in the fumes when you are restoring old theatres.
I see in my crystal ball the city one day regretting their decision. This could be many years from now, but I promise you, it will happen.
DuPageDude, I see in my crystal ball a bulldozer plowing the building down…soon.
Every town has crime…genius…Naperville was voted the 3rd best town to live in the U.S. and look at their Police Blotter. Way bigger than ours.
Do any of those crimes sound like felonies?
Debdupe
Don’t call me an “arm chair preservationist,” I have been working for five years on two projects in my community to save the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium and the New York State Pavilion from the 64 Worlds Fair. The difference is I am willing to have my taxes raised to restore a historic 1920s Tudor stadium where the US Open was originally held. On the other hand you have small town mentality and worry about a few pennies of your tax dollars. Enjoy the bliss of ignorance, I guess you done know any better. You could never replace a historic theatre like the Dupage even with an unlimited amount of money. Enjoy your mediocrity.
Corvette Guy, here’s your proof, which, as the saying goes “Shall set you(Challenger) free!! From the most recent Lombardian, the local Lombard paper…
OFFICERS RESPONDED to Westmore/Meyers Road and the Prairie Path at about 2:47 p.m. after receiving a call that two subjects were drinking on the path. Officers located two subjects, who reportedly said they had been drinking earlier, but neither had alcohol on them.
A VILLA PARK TEEN was charged with unlawful possession of cannabis and a juvenile was charged with possession of tobacco by a minor at Old Grove park. Halley Kenyon, 19, was charged and released. The juvenile was charged and released to a parent.
CRIMINAL DAMAGE BY GRAFFITI was reported in the 900 block of South Main Street after spray-painted graffiti was observed on a fence.
TWO TEENS were charged with criminal damage to motor vehicle after an incident in the first block of West St. Charles Road. According to police reports, the two allegedly damaged the door and rear window of a 1997 Chevy Lumina with a baseball bat during an altercation. Jardell Woods, 17, of Chicago, and Javon Boone, 19, of Lombard, were charged and released.
FOUR LOMBARD TEENAGERS were charged with unlawful possession of cannabis at Main and Wilson. Marko Dukic, 18; Adam Valgiusti, 18; Jason Thomas, 18; and Rogelo Perez, 19, were charged and released.
A VILLA PARK TEEN was charged with unlawful possession of cannabis and possession of alcohol by a minor when officers investigated a suspicious vehicle at Westmore Woods. Phillip Brankin, 19, was charged and released.
This explains why Challenger is so confused, some one stole his ball!!!!
A SILVER GAZING BALL was stolen from the back yard of a residence in the 300 block of East Taylor. A bird bath was broken in the incident.
I apologize for having to take up all this space folks, but someone had to show Challenger for the true person he really is. These were just the first few enteries in the police blotter. Lombard also has a HUGE proplem with groups of youths (dare I say GANGS) along the Great Western Trail
Corvetteguy
Congrats, two straight bad comments…never claimed to have a crystal ball. You were the one who said all our children will become criminals because the theatre is coming down. If that comment had any validity our town would be one of the worst towns in the state seeing that not a single teenager alive has ever been there. The place has been closed for the last several years.
I surrender to your vast knowledge of sociologic behavior.
Ouch!! I surrender to your vast knowledge and crystal ball.
Corvetteguy,
your comments are assumptions (or just stupid opinions), nobody under the age of twenty has ever been to this place. Yet we have no gang activity, very little vandalism, etc…. That has been the problem with this project from the beginning. “Build it and they will come” worked in the movie ‘field of dreams’ but it doesn’t fly in a town where property taxes have skyrocketed, schools are running out of money, and I don’t have to even mention the impending gas crisis.
I don’t live in lombard ,but am a classic theatre devotee.Go ahead yuppies,tear it down if you wish.Make your money off of the deal.But remember,when you tear down and close down places that kids ,and young people frequent,you kind of limit their ability to stay out of trouble.Mabye they can find something else to do instead.Like drugs,sex at parents houses that aren’t home,vandalism,gang banging,mabye even robbing people in the neighborhood,mabye people that have the most,like the rich or yuppies.Be careful what you wish for!,that’s how it started for us in Melrose,and our neighbors in Bellwood.
I hate to interrupt this pity party for a great theatre property but it has not been bulldozed yet. Do you realize that this property can be developed WITH a theatre, retail and some residential? Have you all given up or does anyone else choose to use the law to stop demolition? Those who know of our lawsuit against the Wheaton Grand Theatre (two suburbs away) might give Grande Venues a second look after all. We have great lawyers and a solid philosophy to not give up on lost causes. E-mail us as next week we will hold a public meeting to roll out our plans anyway!
How pathetic you so called “arm chair preservationists” are…
As has been stated time and time again if it was a VIABLE plan it would have gone somewhere other than down this path of destruction. Unless you have seen the condition of this mess on Main Street with your own eyes, you have no business commenting on the “civility” of our quaint village.
We have all kinds of crass commercialization options readily available for the children in the “Lilac Village”….the McMaple Street Chapel (with new drive up service for Big Macs), the Sheldon Peck “Holiday Inn” House(w/ free internet access), the Lowe’s Lilacia Park (take your pick of any trees from our Jens Jensen designed garden center), the Little Orphan “Auntie Annies” Pretzel Shoppe right in heart of town, and of course the new Milton Bradley’s “CLUE…Colonel Plum in the parlor with a candlestick” Memorial Library.
Robert R, you are correct, there are 4 other restored theatres in a 6 mile radius we can go to, all 5 minutes away. So we won’t have to hear about it anymore.
Trust me the site is not big enough for a Walmart. As far as my children are concerned, explain to me how an old crumbling building is/was “history”. Nobody under the age of 10 has ever been inside this place and hardly anybody under 20 will ever remember it.
Melders, it probably won’t cost more than $100K to tear down. Better to be out $100K, than $8.5 Million. Besides the Village will profit by the sale of the property.
Well the only good thing coming from this is we won’t have to hear all this nonsense. Enjoy your Wal*Mart or whatever other thing you will get and live in your mediocrity of malls and multiplexes. Someday your children will regret such ignorant parents for tearing down history. Your always welcome to visit historic places in more civilized towns then Lombard.
ok, so mean demolition with a “T”. Wish you had corrected me earlier.
So spending TIF dollars for demolision is ok, but not to save the theater. You guys make absolutly no sense!
September 1, 2005, The board, which has already voted to end preservation efforts, voted on rejecting a $296,000 federal grant and a $1 million state grant that’s been frozen.
As for the Demolition, (that’s with a “T” melders) the Village has $900,000 from the TIF already in the bank to pay for it. Seeing that more bricks fell off the building just days ago demolition should come easy.
It’s over…the trusteees voted to authorize the DEMOLITION. Sad day really since the library board member that spoke chose to read some nonsensical letter from some preservation group rather than plead her case on behalf of the library board she is supposed to represent. I think the residents deserved better…but at least there will finally be some action.
The money for demolision. Who do you think is going to pay for it? The very taxpapers you are trying to protect. And to DebDupe, I was talking about the crap you are saying, not what the “Freinds” are saying.
Wow Melders…so now the “friends” words is “here that crap” (sic) as well. Glad to see you have come to your senses. And you are right, a referendum to supporters is a bunch of “crap” since that will truly prove once and for all that the “sh*t has hit the fan” once and for alll. And demolition is throwing money away? No, it is saving the village from spending millions more on a foolish and wasteful plan that is based on a false sense of reality. Dance recitals and community theatre certainly don’t make for a successful venue except at taxpayers expense.
Melders, please explain what ‘money’ we are throwing away.
Oh and by the way, won’t the demolision literally be throwing money away?
Oh and by the way, won’t the demolishion literally be throwing money away?
DebDupe, why don’t you go on a site for people that want to here that crap?
DebDupe
Maybe they will build a Wal*Mart for you to enjoy on the site.