DuPage Theater
109 S. Main Street,
Lombard,
IL
60148
109 S. Main Street,
Lombard,
IL
60148
14 people
favorited this theater
Showing 926 - 950 of 1,253 comments
“Backstage at the DuPage” in the local paper this week was the closest to the real truth that has ever been printed or even posted by their leaders…you are so right that the village board will finally go through with the plans to demolish the theatre and adjacent shoppes. What took so long for the reality to sink in? They are going to do it anyway…they’re going to knock the DuPage Theatre down. And there is not any money being thrown away…that state money is all smoke and mirrors and the federal grant is so full of stipulations that it would hold the theatre in the grasps of the federal governnment for 50 years! And don’t try to blame the village for lack of upkeep…the village should have torn it down five years ago or more. It’s a good thing that the sump pump is gone for good…guess the water in the basement will help contain the dust when she goes down in one big pile of terra cottta and bricks. And the cover shots with the state senator…did you hear what he had to say? A referendum is needed…too bad it is too late for that as you already blew your chance at that a few years back.
Come one, come all! Watch the village finally do the right thing tonight…they are finally going to end this once and for all.
Here’s the latest update for all:
View link
To be honest I don’t believe either side in this debate. I think the people to save the theater don’t have as much support or money as they claim. I defenetly don’t believe the people against saving the theater. They have used the same old claims over and over and over. Then they tell us that we shouldn’t believe what the “Freinds” tell us.
Ahhh…The bickering! I knew you still had it in you,thanks for re affirming it!
Looks to me like Restoration Rita’s been drinkin' a few too many margaritas if she believes the friends are NOT the problem. Who would support a project run by such an arrogant and self serving group? Obviously not enough people in town since support has NEVER been strong. The only thing on the side of the friends is the local paper…that has proven time and time again that the only news is the “friends” side of the theatre saga.
September 1st will go down as the day the old Dupe is finally done…no more nonsense, no more discussion, no more theatre. Period. Best thing yet for Lombard given how things have turned so sour in past few weeks. Best viewing on cable will be the theatrics the supporters pull on the board during public comment…sure hope the board members all have earplugs so they don’t have to listen.
Challenger —
Maybe the Friends have had to turn their focus from raising funds to saving a building the funds are supposed to be for.
Let me ask this question. Would you attend a fund raiser for a project that the Village has decided is not worth their time or effort? Would you write a check?
The facts stated by the Friends have always been truthful and in the open. They have had to be. They have been held accountable for every little thing that has happened over the last six years. Why would they “lie?” They didn’t need to. This building has been worth every effort from the very beginning. You should be blaming your Village Government for constantly putting road blocks in front the volunteers efforts to save her. The latest? A demolition order. How dare you blame the Friends for the building standing vacant for six years. There are forces in the Village that I am certain NEVER wanted this project to succeed, and with the election of one trustee in May, these forces are closer than ever to achieving their goal. Had the Village gotten behind the project and supported the efforts of the volunteers, who you have continuosly spit in the faces of, we wouldn’t be here at this moment squabbling about this. We may be on our way out the door to see our children performing in what one of your collegues so passionately stated on the other website as a “root canal.” (That would be a dance recital to those of you who are not privy to the most talked about website on the internet.)
Give it up Challenger. It is not only getting old, but boring at the same time. Oh yeah, if you don’t know it yet, your puppet strings are getting more and more visible with each of your rantings.
And, what you may not realize, is that by trying to “compromise” on a partial restoration of the theatre as part of the library, you ARE asking the taxpayers of Lombard to pay PROPERTY TAXES for restoration. Something the Friends have continuously denied doing. In fact, the RSC plan will bring funds into the Village, not burden the taxpayers. Good Luck Challenger. I hope you realize the people who you should be fighting with are the very people you are supporting…
One comment I have to make is that a lot of the stuff we have read on this website (and other websites) posted by friends has not been 100% accurate. Their amount of support, amount of money they have, etc. have been blown out of proportion.
All one has to do is go to the top of this page and scroll down to about the 18th post from a Tribune article from 10 months ago. How about “$6.5 million” or “The first stages of the project are expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2005,…with the entire venue scheduled to be operating and self-sustaining by the end of 2007.” Both statements are inaccurate as the cost has ballooned to over $8.5 million and the only to be completed by December 31 will be demolition.
All we have heard was broken promises from a group of people (the ‘friends’) who somebody quoted as “egos and fanatical ranting and false accusations have done them in.”
Then a group of citizen’s, including myself, started questioning their tactics and we are branded “anti-theatre” or even “anti-preservationist” which both are ridiculous statements. Speaking on behalf of a large group I can say we are FOR preservation, but against a taxpayer funded theatre.
CVB tell us to get off this website, why so the friends can fill your heads with more mistruths and invalid propaganda?? I am sure the creators of this website are aware of what is going on with the Dupe. I am also sure that they don’t support “preservation at any costs” like the ‘friends’ do.
As long as this group keeps their ranting and raving, their threats, their crying, their false accusations, etc…we the majority will keep fighting against them.
One last statement, their last fundraiser was last October…11 months ago!
Sometimes it takes debates such as these to come up with solutions for preservation.
This Thursday Sept 1 will be a pivotal night for the fate of the DuPage Theatre. The village board meeting has on it’s agenda an item that will take them one step closer to demolition.
Will the Friends of the Theatre behave themselves and hopefully leave the door open for using part of the structure in a new library or will it be the same old song?
Well CVB you simply need to see the “preservationists” (aka Friends of the DuPage Theatre) website to see the real bickering. One only need to read their weekly column in the local paper to see how they continue to rant with their “fully funded plan” and “won’t cost taxpayers a dime” routine. No progress on fundraising or building awareness…just continued attacks of the local politicians that fail to agree with them. Read through their so called “news” at www.dupagetheatre.net to see for yourself where the real bickering starts. You will learn lots….that is for sure.
Regarding CVB comment of 8/29: I think this sort of debate is part of the preservation landscape. If it bothers an individual, I think it is the responsibility of that individual to stay off a page where such conversation takes place. There are some 11,000 theatres listed after all. Perhaps some comments get a little emotional and/or silly (I have probably offended in this manner). But I don’t think this sort of debate should be discouraged.
Just goes to show how far these “preservationists” will go to save the old lady…but with their lack of organization, class, and business smarts they have instead taken her to the black hole of eminent destruction. This despite the repeated extension of an olive branch to make good on a common goal of partial restoration (instead of total demolition). But egos and fanatical ranting and false accusations have done them in…a lesson to all that are interesting in preservation. One would quickly learn what NOT to do when trying to restore a grand old theatre…to ensure demolition follow “The DuPage Friends Guide to Theatre Restoration”.
Back on August 17 I asked this question:
“Rumor has it the ‘friends’ of the theatre had their sump pump removed from the building. This building has a history of flooding. Why would they put the theatre in harm’s way?”
We were told this was a rumor, but it turns out that this is true. A VOL employee confirmed it. Apparently it was their so-called preservation leader of the group. Strange tactics they have used.
Challenger, as Rick has said, the minimum age for a building being listed is 50. I know of several buildings that have had the age limit waived. The Fox Theatre in St. Louis was listed in 1976, when it was 47. I even know of one building that was only 30 when listed. As to Life’s too short’s question, listing on the National Register means nothing. There is no form of protection.
The bickering will be back big time come Thursday September 1st. The board agenda includes formal rejection of the Save Our Treasures grant and the unfunded Illinois FIRST funding (which is state dollars from a broke state program that has not paid out a penny to any group in years despite political promises of the “pork”).
The fact of the matter is the game is over..the supporters can bicker back all they want but the truth is it is over and done. Sad turn of events give the compromises put forth in the past several weeks but then it always was the “egos” of the friends that pushed them into this corner of demolition looming within days.
What??? No bickering today ,or for a couple days?I was starting to get used to it.
The minimum age for a building on the National Register is 50 (and even that can be waived in extraordinary cases). Criteria here.
It is on the National Register of Historic Places since 1987. Somebody needs to explain how a 59 year old (in 1987)building got put on the list in the first place.
Only from State or Federal projects.
Someone explain this to me: I was recently told that this building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1987. If that’s the case, isn’t it afforded some sort of protection?
Dude-
I NEVER said I wasn’t going to post anymore – that was Mr. Difino.
Also – give me a break, like you would find the screen names “duper supporter” or “dupage dude” on the Friends website! You could be anyone of the leadership – maybe not.
We agree on 2 fronts – referendum was essential for the Friends and they have not done it. They have only antagonized the board. Also, those of us who want to save the theatre as part of the library may have to go to the village ourselves. Then the Friends can declare a total and complete failure in their efforts to save the theatre. What a shame.
Perhaps those of you outside of Lombard can persuade them to swallow their pride and move on to talks of the library. It is their ONLY hope!
What is with you people and your hang-up on referendums? I posted back in mid-June, “Well, for one thing, there IS NO November election. For another, if there were, petitions would be due the first week of July. And even if there were, it would likely be too late.” Petitions for the next filing period cannot even be circulated until a month from now! So, please, enough of your red herrings. There’s no reason why you should expect to be seeing a referendum NOW, and one minute of research would tell you that. You want to see a referendum? What’s stopping you from making one?
I didn’t see the names “dupersupporter” or “dupage dude” anywhere on the Friends website, www.dupagetheatre.net so how could we be “leadership”? See, you just proved my point! This is the second or third time you siad you weren’t posting on here anymore. Take your bat and ball and go home! “I thought I could work with the Friends to preserve some or all of the theatre under a different plan” When did you become the Village of Lombard? why should the Friends want to even be considered in a plan that MIGHT save “parts” of the Theatre. That’s pointless!
I’m STILL waiting to see a referendum from the Friends, or even any positive movement besides accusing VOL of things. I DO NOT want to talk off-board to any one, I want to see the responses on here for all the world to see!!!
I still want to know where the Friends referendum is? It looks like NOTHING is going on!!!
There you go preservationists – you get a first hand look at why the “grand lady” is comin down. A neighbor of the Dupe posts about urging the Friends to embrace the library/theatre idea before it’s too late and he gets attacked by 2 of the Friends – Duper dork and DuPage Dud. They call him a thug and say he’s “strange”. Way to go guys! You serve your cause well. Keep up the excellent PR – embrace the neighbors, building that excellent “grass roots” movement. NOT!
There is one group to blame for the downfall of the Dupe…“friends” like these. “With Friends like these, who needs enemies?”
By the way – Sept. 1 village board meeting is going to authorize demolition contract bids to be taken. I hope you’re having fun with your verbal volleyball games on this website when you should be working to save the structure for use in the library plan. You won’t and that’s too bad – the old Dupe deserved better than the likes of you to save her.
By the way, I continued to post on this board because I thought I could work with the Friends to preserve some or all of the theatre under a different plan. The last couple of posts made by their leadership (Duper Supporter and Dupage Dude) tell me I’m wasting my time. So, I guess there is no reason to visit this board anymore. Bye all.
Street corner? I won’t waste my time responding to that. You people make it very hard for anyone opposed to your viewpoint to even consider working with you. By the way, I live about 250 yards from the theatre property. I believe I’m fully vested in this issue and have a right to vent my frustration when lies are told publicly that could impact my neighborhood. Much like the last post by Dupage Dude (a Friend of the Dupage Theatre) they don’t always do that.