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Lombard OKs DuPage Theatre Demolition
posted by
btkrefft
on
June 6, 2005 at 1:01 pm
LOMBARD, IL — The Lombard Village Board voted June 2nd to approve the demolition of the 1928 DuPage Theatre in downtown Lombard, according to this report from the Daily Herald.
Dozens of theater supporters filled the board chambers, including Kevin Fitzpatrick, who called the vote “a gut-punch” to preservationists. Fitzpatrick continued, “We remain committed to this. We’re going to reevaluate our options. There’s always a legal option. There’s always the chance the board can reconsider.”
Another supporter, Penelope Arnold, said, “They just don’t get it. The theater is what makes us different, what makes Lombard unique. It’s a shame. It’s a great loss to our community.”
The $32 million plan to build 86 luxury condos and loft apartments in and around the theater building as well as retail and restaurant space hinged on lawmakers approving an extension of a tax increment finance district and the trustees taking favorable votes on local issues.
Trustee Steven Sebby, who has led the drive to raze the DuPage, insists that preservationists had been given more than enough chances to succeed. “It is not something of haste. It is necessary for the village to move forward…to act in the best interest of all the citizens of the village of Lombard.”
One small ray of hope for preservationists is that the board’s vote comes with a caveat that the Illinois Historic Preservation Society be allowed to review the information that will insure the theater’s razing with not violate any state or federal preservations laws.
Comments (106)
Well, if this goes through then I have one less reason to ever visit Lombard.
Follow the money-
If you would like to find out if I’m a “crony” – feel free to contact me and ask me yourself. I live by the Dupe and have a big stake in what happens on that property, I’ll be glad to fill you in.
Sitting on this board offering nothing but theatrical ramblings and inane quotes will do nothing to help your cause. So if you have a genuine concern for what happens here and would like to know more about what I believe e-mail me at
If you’d rather stay on here talking to the wall – be my guest. The rest of us will be busy seeing the best development comes to Main & Parkside…
Your answer makes as much sense as your posts and I think that’s an overstatement.
I also think your favorite movie is “Conspiracy Theory”
Thank you for proving my point.
Brian-
Contact me off this board and I will be glad to fill you in on some of the details of what’s really been going on behind the scenes here in Lombard and how I found out about this one man rant on this page.
I will not discuss any more issues with this other individual who hides behind a screen name and makes no sense.
We also got BIG news today which will have a huge effect on the outcome of this story. E-mail me if you would like more info.
PRESERVATION ALERT….don’t be fooled by the Friends. The latest plan for a black box theatre to be dedicated to civic group use is a new building….not a restored Dupe. The marquee is on the way to dump any day now along with the wrecking ball taking down the theatre. All that is being “restored” is the lobby and some of the rotting terra cotta facade. What kind of victory is this? A few years back the whole 800+ seat theatre was to be restored with this much and now all Lombard gets is a 299 seat box with folding chairs and lights. What a pathetic compromise from the theatre supporters and village board. This deal will fall apart just as every other pathetic attempt to develop this property. When will the village learn that it is best to clear the site and put it out to the highest bidder….not the highest TIF taker!
follow the money (aka crazy ray):
Seriously now, you are posting and nobody cares. Why don’t you make a point and stick with it…whatever it is, because what you are doing now makes no sense. This webpage is (mostly) for preservation, yet the DuPage theatre is getting torn down with the approval of your friends…maybe that should be your issue!
I doubt very few people are even reading this page on this site and your constant whining in the past got the Dupes other CT site shut down.
You really should get a life, seriously you posted at 1:55 pm on the 4th of July. While most of us were celebrating this great country of ours you were sitting in your house watching the traffic go by on Grace St….Bitter at the whole world. Really sad!!!
To Brian Wolf:
The following meassage were posted a month ago:
You do realize there’s only myself, ziggy, and Manwithnoname reading this, right? And i’m not even a lombard resident.
posted by Brian Wolf on Jun 4, 2006 at 7:19pm
I do not know how many people are reading this.I am also not a Lombard resident.I am new to this site.However I can read the goings on about this theatre and it reads like shaky politics.
Maybe more people should be reading this.
posted by follow the money on Jun 4, 2006 at 7:47pm
Certainly, but this is a news page from a year ago, so nobody’s going to be checking on it because it’s buried in the archive, so the only persons looking here are likely the three people who commented here previously, because we recieve notifications. Unfortunately, the Dupage’s regular comment page was shut down due to improper use and slanderous accusations that were flying around. I find it very unfortunate that the Dupage’s auditorium is pretty much doomed no matter what.
My question to you Brian is do you still read this particular site and, if so, why don’t you say something to this idiots (follow the money)mindless ramblings!
Sorry Devit,
You should still get a life
I typed “dupage” into the search function.
If its not one guy then its the other…two peas in a pod.
Cinema TREASURES.COM is devoted to movie preservation and awareness and to save the last remaining movie palaces across the country. This website is not about politics.
posted by Ray Mazzolini on Apr 3, 2005 at 10:21am
If we are going to quote people how about this famous quote:
“Why shouldn’t tax money be used to pay for the theatre”
J. Devit
Actually here is the direct quote from follow the money:
“but if the Village plans to spend $300 million on a convention center that is not directly helping residents, why not spend $8 million on a Theatre for its residents?”
I highly doubt I am wrong, and, if so, why would you care then? Unless of course you are lying.
You are right it doesn’t change a thing, either way you are crazy.
This site is about preservation not politics. Why don’t you just make a point instead of these endless ramblings that nobody understands. All you are doing is cutting and pasting articles and that is not helping anybody except maybe it releases some steam for you. You keep posting a link (over and over) about what a trustee said over a year ago and nobody cares but you.
This site is about preservation not politics. The theatre is coming down and the only ones to blame are the people who support RSC’s plan…a plan which called for demolition. That trustee voted against that plan. Or don’t you remember.
If anybody should be whining on this site it should be the so-called “preservationist”.
This site is about preservation not politics.
Your agenda is one of politics.
It hit no nerve with me, you are just an idiot and thought someone should tell you so.
Wrong about what? That this site is about preservation not politics?
You keep posting that .wmv and are making fun of Sebby. You seem bitter against him. It’s the other 4 trustees who voted in favor of this plan which includes DEMOLITION of the theatre.
Do you support this plan, which includes DEMOLITION of the theatre?
If yes, then you support DEMOLITION, on a preservation site no less.
If no, then you agree with Sebby, they same guy you keep ripping.
So, do you support this plan, which includes DEMOLITION of the theatre?
Either answer you gives make you look like a bigger idiot than you already are.
You have read wrong, I am against a taxpayer funded restoration, I have nothing against preservation. Big difference. Get your facts straight. I am against this plan that call for demolition of the theatre.
As for partial preservation….You are wrong. The marquee is headed for the scrap heap. All they are saving is the front of the building…hardly preservation. The entire auditorium is coming down. So the theatre is GONE. Nice to know you support DEMOLITION.
I am not defending Sebby, just exposing you as a fraud. Your agenda is one of politics. You support my accusation by linking that .wmv file, yet again.
“If yes, then you support DEMOLITION, on a preservation site no less."
There you have it folks, this idiot supports demolition.
You are a fraud
Brian, perhaps you should scroll around…I have made positive comment regaeding the Villard (in Villa Park)and have posted some links on the Wheaton Theatre page…so your comment “i’ve yet to see you contribute anything valuable to a discussion” is entirely false. As for the other page it was the two rogue members who got kicked out of the ‘friends’ who got that site shut down, and I was one of the individuals who suggested to Cinema Trasures that they do shut it down.
As for the other stupid comment “same tired, slanted rhetoric ad nauseam” Perhaps you should read again. Follow the money could care less about the theatre. He supported a different candidate is the last election here in twon, and he lost on a technicality. He is bitter about that loss, and if the winner came out in favor of the theatre follow the money would soon change his tune to one of demolishing the theatre.
Your comment “Demolition is always a necessary part of preservation” did have me laughing for quite a while though and when I stopped laughing I read your comment about the arm which was even funnier. This plan cuts off the big toe and throws away the entire body and saves the toe…hardly preservation. And a black box theatre in its place has nothing to do with preservation.
Follow the money is crazy, and you (Brian) lose any credibilty by supporting him, this one you will have to trust me on. I have already emailed CT about shutting this page down because there are only a handful of people who read it, so it is only a matter of time.
Here’s a quote about the new black-box theater from another website:
“When will the residents realize that this plan does not include a movie theatre or even a "theatre” per se? The theatre PR push forgets so many things and continues to push the “arts” aspect….but the truth is 7000 square foot box, no screen, no stage, removable seating, certainly not a Broadway caliber theatre."
Remember, if this black-box theater if failing the developer has the right to shut it down and turn the space into a store or restaurant. How is that for preservation??
Brain…Point taken. I have no beef with you, but FTM is making a fool out of himself over and over. Most of his posts are BS. You don’t know him, but I do, and I know that his bitterness is about politics and NOT losing the theatre, and if he says otherwise he is a liar.
Your comment about the Villard link that a posted, I had forgotten that you already posted it. As far as condo’s there…well not exactly the same as the dupe. The Villard has been gone for years and NOBODY under 40 has ever seen it. There is nothing about that building that would tell that there was a theatre there. Plus I doubt that the Village of VP is handing away $10 million in TIF to that project, unlike the Dupe project.
By the way, there is a great chance that nothing will be saved at the dupe. The terra cotta front of the building may not be able to absorb the demolition. And the “DuPage” name is gone. When the blackbox theatre goes away nobody will know the dupe was ever there.
“we will not use ANY tax money to fully restore the DuPage Theatre"
Friends 2001
The “T” in TIF stands for TAX.
Fitzpatrick May 2006
A condom when applied correctly, can indeed be a valuable tool
A condom when applied correctly, can indeed be a valuable tool
Ray I am just going to contact the site administrators and have this site shut down too. Take your political manifesto to another site.
You are the ONLY person with this conspiracy theory ray. Take it to another site. Cinema treasures does not care and you were warned by them. I hope they shut you off.
My name seems to appear on this page quite often I am told.
That must be the price I must pay for being a friend of the dupage theatre and a neighbor of trustee sebby.
I can choose a cause to support.I can’t choose my neighbors.
One has nothing to do with the other.
There are several things you should know.
1.I don’t have the time or the desire to debate you.
2.My plate is full.
3.I learned from your other website that debating you is a waste of time.
4.I am not that good.
5.I do not desire to hold any political office in Lombard.
6.If you see me at any board meetings it is because I was asked to attend as it relates to the dupage theatre.
The thing that I don’t understand is why you want to attach my name to those posts and you do not attach your name to your posts.
Find another friend of the dupage theatre to assault.
I will respect the wishes of Patrick Cowley and Ross Melnick and not further debate you Ray, no matter what moniker you choose to go by. Nor will I answer any of your misquotes.
I will, however, repeat, this website is about preservation and not politics. Just because you got booted off the other site does not mean you should come here. Please be respectful of of Mr. Crowley and Mr. Melnick’s wishes and try to be professional.
Mr. Mazzollini,
The reason why Lombardians know you are both “Follow the Money” and other aliases, is because you are the only person we see on here that does not put a space between sentences or punctuation marks. Please take a look back and see for yourself. You probably are not aware that you are doing it.
Now don’t you just feel foolish and ridiculous? Notice how both your “Ray Mazzolini” and “Follow the Money” moniker consistently make these 5th grade typing and grammar errors?
Don’t you feel the least bit guilty about embarassing Judy with your childish behavior. I’m sure our Village board will enjoy my cut and paste of this page and others showing them how you are threatening to have them served with a subpoena. I’m sending it today. Once again you have damaged your cause and embarassed your organization.
Dear President Mueller and Village Board,
I would like to bring to your attention some of the threats being made by Raymond Mazzolini of the Friends of the DuPage theatre. For months Mr. Mazollini has been posting defamatory statements on a public message board about many of you. He has been making threats that one or all of you will be srved a subpoena in public if the theatre auditorium is demolished as part of the new RSC plan.
When making these inflammatory comments on these websites, Ray goes by the handle of “Follow the Money”. When he posts messages as himself, he goes by “Ray Mazzolini. Please take note that Ray never puts a space between new sentences and punctuation marks. I have attached examples and a link to the website for your review.
Please take this negative and possibly illegal behavior into consideration when listening to the Friends plea for tax dollars. They have already sued the Village once and Mr. Mazzolini appeared in court to watch the proceedings twice.
Please stop this out of control organization now.
Anne Puzan
Lombard
True Class,
Great catch on exposing Ray. Go to CT’s home page and click the “contact us” page and send an email to Mr. Crowley and Mr. Melnick asking him to shut this page down as well. We all know ray’s ramblings are political in nature.
I have said for years if Sebby changed his mind and supported this plan, Ray would be against it. He cares little about preservation and this website is about preservation.
funny you should quote this “The DuPage Theater, built in the 1920s, is one of the oldest surviving buildings in Lombard,..” but yet you support a plan that includes demolition of the this same building.
Ray, remember
Guys… this thread has veered way off-topic, so we’re shutting it down.
If you continue behaving this way, you may be suspended from the site.
posted by Patrick Crowley on Sep 19, 2006 at 7:16pm
What really saddens me is the mentality (or lack thereof) shown by those who run this site. They threaten as well as follow through with shutting down pages regarding the DuPage Theatre. Why do they do so? Because a few anti-theatre denizens come on here, pollute the waters with their filth, then slink back into the shadows. Take this “Ann Puzan” person. According to Lombard voting records, she is a woman well into her 70’s! Yet she posts like she is much younger, complete with up-to-date insults. How suspect is that? I BEG those who run this site to start looking at things like e-mail addresses as well as IP addresses and see who’s actually spewing this filth rather than shut down these pages entirely. Make those guilty crawl back under the rocks they came from!
Allow me to restate my beliefs. I am for a restored DuPage Theatre. I believe that egos and attitude have long since taken over the Friends of the DuPage Theatre, and at this point, there is very little hope. I believe that there is another “plan” for the property that will spring to life once the historic theatre is demolished. A plan that will not help the residents, except maybe a few choice ones.
I would like to see a cultural center that will lead to a revolution of thinking and acting in Lombard. Once the building is gone, it can NEVER be brought back. Those types of buildings are vanishing very rapidly from the American landscape and unless dedicated people bravely spet up and accept the challenge to save them, our world will be that of strictly concrete and glass, basically faceless and generic, compared to how it could be, with vibrant terra cotta, bright lights and smiling faces. One needs to look no further than Schaumburg, Crystal Lake or St. Charles to see how theatre can enrich a community, both artistically AND financially…
Sorry. I mistyped, I meant to say “…bravely SPEAK up…”
And the Friends of the DuPage Theatre support a plan that demolishes the theatre itself….how ironic is that? A new theatre building, a new marquee, and saving a few so called relics to incorporate into a generic cinder block box surrounded by overpriced condos and empty retail space (do we really need another Subway or Quizno’s or hair salon or dentist office??). How sad…..but that is what the friends and preservationists have called a victory for their cause (at a cost of nearly $10 million thanks to the village TIF designation). The shallowness of this so called victory truly dictates that the place should all go the way of the wrecking ball…and sell the parcel off to the highest bidder for a project that does not need $10 million in village tax handouts.
DuPagedude. Please let Cinema Treasures check my IP address. I only post as myself. I do find it quite suspicious that once “follow the money” was shut down your posts magically re-appeared.
Why was CT wrong to shut off Ray? He abused his privelage and used this site for his political reasons. He was warned and basically told Pat and Ross off, and thunbed his nose at them.
Sorry. But reading the latest thread by TheDupeDisater makes me wonder what downtown he or she is referring to. There are currently no national chain resturants or coffee houses in the downtown section of Lombard. My opinion is that a national shain of any type would definitely increase traffic to the downtown.
I saw a copy of the film. Too bad we couldn’t have had it screened at the DuPage. I liked all the anti-theatre people who spoke against the project! There was, um, let’s see, no one. I guess they were all camera shy, despite being repeatedly asked to appear. Makes you really question their motives, doesn’t it?
Who are these “anti-theatre” people Jim? When were they asked? A film that maybe 15 people have seen. If I remember correctly they filmed this on a saturday afternoon in the summer. I was gone that weekend….much better things to do.
Maybe they whould film a follow-up movie of the bulldozers knocking her down….that’s right you support a plan that includes demolition…you are anti-theatre. HAHA
Ray, remember
Guys… this thread has veered way off-topic, so we’re shutting it down.
If you continue behaving this way, you may be suspended from the site.
posted by Patrick Crowley on Sep 19, 2006 at 7:16pm
Across America, movie palaces are dying; killed off by old age, owner neglect, and that most evil of sins, greed. And in the case of Lombard a group of 20 people failed miserably to save a theatre and only collected $1200 in 9 years time.
CInema Treasures it’s time to shut this site down.
Ray,
I find it funny that you keep posting a quote containing a phrase “theater preservation” yet you support a taxpayer funded plan that includes total demolition of the theatre.
Just what are your intentions then to preserve or to demolish??? The answer is neither because your cause is one of politics not preservation. Your continual posts prove that time and time again.
IffyTiffy learned that the condos at St Charles and Grace got $400,000 in TIF for their project.
IffyTiffy learned that the theatre project wants nearly $10 million in TIF.
IffyTiffy did the math…..110 units and nearly $10 million in TIF. That is a lot of money…nearly $91,000 in tax subsidy per housing unit. Can I have $91,000 towards an addition on my house and pay it back with my property taxes for the next 18 years? Oh but wait using “theatre speak” TIF is not really tax dollars.
IffyTiffy learned that the villlage is offering loans to business owners for investing in downtown Lombard…and that the loans are likely paid from TIF…but none are in the millions like the theatre project.
IffyTiffy did the math….no matter how you slice it up, this TIF thing when it is in the millions screws the Lombard taxpayers until 2024.
It doesn’t take a rocket engineer to figure out just who’s fiduciary responsibility he is trying to protect. He is trying to protect the taxpayers of Lombard. Thanks for clarifying that Ray.
I thought the 10 million dollars was for the theatre portion, NOT the condo portion…Funny how things get changed to suit some people…
“However.I am not so sure that the auditorium will be demolished
posted by follow the money on Aug 8, 2006 at 10:49am”
What a genius!
I heard the same thing, that we weren’t paying for the condos, only the theatre. Why would somebody lie and make up stories like that?
Hey genius, it’s “Naive” not “nieve”
Aren'y you the same mastermind behing this comment?:
“However.I am not so sure that the auditorium will be demolished"
posted by follow the money on Aug 8, 2006 at 10:49am”
Darn I meant “aren’t” :)
Finally the eyesore will be eliminated. We can’t wait to see the Heneghan bulldozers rumble down Main Street. We should have a ticker tape parade. The flywall eyesore will soon be gone. I would personally like to congratulate the Friends of the DuPage Theatre for signing off on the demolition of the Grand Dame.
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.
Ray states “Choose a better board member for your crusade”
But he posted this:
Again.My posts are not political.My posts are about “following the money”.
posted by follow the money on Sep 20, 2006 at 4:26pm
Nice try Ray but your bitterness about that election is over 3 years ago. Get over it.
You don’t care one damn bit about the theatre. She is coming down and all you talk about is consriracy theories.
I have been after the Village and the church to demolish the Maple Street Chapel if they ask for ANY more taxpayer assistance to maintain that building. If their congregation can’t pay for it, the building should come down. The Peck House is fine. It has been restored with private funding and donations. The Chapel is nothing more than a blind spot at a very busy intersection, only it requires paint every three years. If every church in Lombard asked for taxpayer assistance to maintain their properties we would be broke.
We keep waiting sir, to open up the newspaper to read about one of our trustees being served with a subpoena. It never happens. You have a very active imagination Sir.
I assure you our village president does not think your threats are amusing Mr. Mazzollini. I have spoken to him about your antics on this board.
To True Class and everybody else involved with this issue,
Cinema Treasures (“CT”) has revoked follow the money’s access (again). This would be the second site Ray has lost his access to. On behalf of CT let’s all try to be respectful of what this site was intended for.
We all know Ray’s thing was to get the last word in as you can see by his posts. There have been three dupe sites shut down just becasue of him.
I am sure at any moment Devit (aka dupagedude) will jump on board and chime in, which is fine, but at least the rest of us can be professional. We all know what will happen in the end.
In the meantime let’s think about how bitter Ray must be right now pacing in his living room with noboby to whine to.
LOL..Ray has a problem that goes beyond his unemployed status.
Well folks, the historic DuPage Theatre still has a pulse, although it’s weak, thready and on life support! It would have been nice if last year members of the Friends had put egos, rumors and personal opinions aside and really worked for what’s important, the DuPage. When they were wrong and they KNEW it, they simply ignored the obvious, polite thing to do and decided to turn their noses and backs on many of those who had been around from the beginning, long before they even THOUGHT about being part of any group. Many, many GOOD ideas we offered, but they all “knew better” those ideas were left by the wayside on favor of a compromise plan that will lead to the demise of the very thing they were commissioned to save, that being the theater. It’s too bad too, because if they would have tried to keep an open mind and actually listened to the ideas, they probably wouldn’t been in the boat they are now!!!
DD,
I couldn’t agree with you more. The Friends mailed me an invite to their dinner. It was addressed to the previous owner of my home. He has been deceased for 6 years.
The leaders of the Friends never should have let Mr. Mueller talk them out of the referendum last year. It was their biggest mistake. The Village did not want the question on the same ballot with their precious sales tax referendum proposal. Bill Mueller wanted his sales tax hike so that his job would be easier. Lombard and the Friends were sold out.
Last night the Village Board voted in favor of starting demolition of the DuPage Theatre, which should begin in December. This plan is fully supported by the Friends of the theatre.
More news to soon follow.
Too bad the plan wasn’t supported by a majority of the Friends rank and file membership. They were sold down the river so a few people could continue to get their names in the paper. They seem to have forgotten the full name of the group, Friends of the Dupage Theatre. Funny, the theatre part has been out of the equation for quite a while though…
This comment was on a anti-theater website. I agree with what they posted!!!
“Here’s how to increase membership…It’s like pro sports, or a business. If it is not being successful, the person in charge is let go. Maybe that’s what the Friends need, the President and Vice President to step down and allow fresh, new ideas take over. It’s obvious that they’re elitist, condescending attitude did not will them and votes or new Friends. In fact, it looks like it lost them quite a few!!”
These pictures are about 3 years old so they appear much nicer back then than they actually are right now:
http://www.dupagetheatre.com/pages/1/index.htm
Not to mention the fact that, according to stories, some of the damage to the exterior of the building was “helped” along by anti-theatre individuals…
In addition, if you look at the last picture, you will see very, very lagre, very, very tall trees that completely screen out the neighbor’s views of the theatre. the lots themselves are very deep (at least 100'), and the homes are towards the front of the lots, probably at least 50 feet from the fence, so any development would be around 70 feet from the homes, NOT the “8 feet” they claim in their sign…
Yes DD, I bet these anti-theatre people climbed up an outside wall and pulled bricks off the 20 foot wall all by themselves!!! One of the stupidist statements to date..congrats Jimmy boy.
Additionally, your measurements are incorrect. The building will be 8 feet off their property…period. Why even bring that up? It does not meet code and will never be built anyway.
One thing for sure the bulldozers will be here in 3 weeks.
Now that I think about it folks just read Dupagedudes silly post and then look at the pictures.
http://www.dupagetheatre.com/pages/1/index.htm
The pictures show obvious signs of water damage as the morter is all gone. These walls are 20 feet high and are fully exposed to Main St. Plus the building has a security fence around it so no bricks fall on people heads. Yet DD claims anti-theatre people did this…this man has clearly lost his mind. Yet he claims to want to save the buliding but supports a plan that include 95% demolition.
All you preservationist should respond to this silliness. It is no wonder they only collected $1200 in 7 years.
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
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!
Cry me a river!
Ray (aka K.F.) you can come up with a better response than cry me a river.
For the rest of you people, the theatre has a date with the wrecking ball slated for December 4, 2006.
For those of you following the situation, On December 4th (12 hours from this post) the bulldozers will pull up and the demolition will begin on the dupe.
Brian. Those are very nice photos of the DuPage Theatre.
Those photos are very recent. Apparently you are a person who cares very much about preservation.
I enjoyed your slide show. Excellent.
Brian. You are right. The stage was shallow. This was due to the fact that there was an orchestra pit in front of the stage. Then there was the rail fence in front of the pit. The stage did extend to the rear wall (flywall).
Here’s a picture from today:
View link
Oh cry me a river. Will you?
I am not sure what “cry me a river” means, maybe I should be saying that to you KF. The flywall is practically gone by now.
How about this famous quote:
“However.I am not so sure that the auditorium will be demolished"
posted by follow the money on Aug 8, 2006 at 10:49am”
Show me that post.If it even exists?
If it doesn’t then cry me two rivers. Will you?
‘Follow the money’ had his access shut off for being such a fool, and then CT deleted all his nonsense, but as you can see from my other post I was smart enough to save that famous quote.
Considering the auditorium is half gone already I would say this was the dumbest quote on the year. Congratulations!
Here it is again for your viewing pleasure:
“However.I am not so sure that the auditorium will be demolished"
posted by follow the money on Aug 8, 2006 at 10:49am”
Too bad for her or him. So much for your proof.
Cry her or him a river then. Will you?
What proof! That quote was cut & pasted nemurous times. I can’t help it that FTM was a complete fool and got kicked off of cinema treasures.
Half the auditorium is gone as of right now.
Cry me a river about it :)
“However.I am not so sure that the auditorium will be demolished"
posted by follow the money on Aug 8, 2006 at 10:49am”
See you tonight Ray
My husband spoke with the demolition supervisor last night. They have already lost significant amounts of plaster from the walls of the ticket lobby.
They are going to have to take the entire structure down eventually…
From what I understand, most of those bricks that are being salvaged will be sent down south for reuse, they became too brittle for northern climates because of years of neglect. So much for the stories that the “grand old lady” was structurally sound.
A quote from a post that can’t be found. Hearsay. She said he said.
Not admissible.
Lost plaster from the lobby.
Cry me a river over that one. Will you?
The brick is to brittle for reuse.
Oh that’s a real good one.
Cry me a river over that one also. Will you?
KF (aka Ray) Have you been by there today? There were at least 40-50 pallets of bricks stacked and banded. Call the brick company (as we did) and ask how much a pallet is ($175 or more a skid and $100 for delivery for each shid). ANYBODY CAN PURCHASE A PALLETT OF THESE BRICKS. The companies name is on the side of each pallet. Then ask then what they are doing with them…shipping then south to a warmer climate. Then when you conform that my information is correct you can retract you last statement.
Brian, years of neglect!!! What part of that statement do you not understand? The building has sat vacant for 11+ years and was neglected for 20 years before that, both true statements that can very easily be verified. Most of the gutters were loose or gone altogether and rain just drained down the side of the building, which is why bricks were falling off. It got so bad that they had to put a safety fence around the building. Check this site out:
www.dupagetheatre.com
My house is NOT neglected, and yes, at 60 years old I probably will need a little tuck-pointing soon. What I don’t understand is you the point you were trying to make with your comment. Whatever you meant you just exposed yourself as exactly the kind of person I imagine you are.
I just want to thank everyone that helped those of us in our neighborhood to get rid us of the eyesore that was the DuPage Theatre. People like Kevin Fitzpatrick have done nothing but tell lies and deceive. I would rather have 1000 condos there as long as the haunted flywall and hanging plastic are gone.
This truly is a time to celebrate. How timely that this building is being demolished during the holiday season.
Merry Christmas to all of you and may God bless!
“Members of the Friends group saved bits of plaster work, original seats and lamps and some stars that lined the theater’s ceiling in the hope that the antique pieces will be used in the new state-of-the-art theater.”…..but the nearly $50,000 cost to save the plaster and other tidbits of the past from the long decaying theatere was paid not by the preservation group but instead by the village.
I brought some homemade fruitcakes to the wonderful workers of the demolition company today. They are such nice boys and they are doing a bang-up job taking down the theatre.
BW, don’t waste your time with True Class. It is a fictious person…Well, actually, the name they gave for “her” is real, but it’s attached to a woman that’s nearly 80 years old. This poster is merely a anti-theatre wackjob trying to gloat over the destruction of our DuPage Theatre.
“She” has harassed and threatened me before…doesn’t sound like an 80 year old woman now does it?
Dupagedude Jim, who is the real “wackjob” here. Look at your insane post from a couple weeks ago:
“Not to mention the fact that, according to stories, some of the damage to the exterior of the building was "helped” along by anti-theatre individuals…
posted by DuPageDude on Nov 7, 2006 at 4:24pm"
And how about this post from your buddy Ray:
“However.I am not so sure that the auditorium will be demolished"
posted by follow the money on Aug 8, 2006 at 10:49am”
Even though the Auditorium is entirely gone now
Allow me to restate my beliefs. I am for a restored DuPage Theatre. I believe that egos and attitude have long since taken over the Friends of the DuPage Theatre, and at this point, there is very little hope. I believe that there is another “plan” for the property that will spring to life once the historic theatre is demolished. A plan that will not help the residents, except maybe a few choice ones.
I would like to see a cultural center that will lead to a revolution of thinking and acting in Lombard. Once the building is gone, it can NEVER be brought back. Those types of buildings are vanishing very rapidly from the American landscape and unless dedicated people bravely spet up and accept the challenge to save them, our world will be that of strictly concrete and glass, basically faceless and generic, compared to how it could be, with vibrant terra cotta, bright lights and smiling faces. One needs to look no further than Schaumburg, Crystal Lake or St. Charles to see how theatre can enrich a community, both artistically AND financially…
posted by DuPageDude on Sep 22, 2006 at 9:03pm
Gee, for a person that has been labeled everything from a stalker to insane, I sure got this one right! Way back in September, too!!!
Mr. Dude,
To what address can I send one of my special fruitcakes for you? I know you are sad about losing your theatre and I want to help cheer you up. Although a few of you are upset by the demolition, there are thousands of Lombardians that are rejoicing at the site of each truckload leaving for the landfill.
You will love my special fruitcakes. Where can I send one?
Happy Holidays and may God Bless you and yours!
Dupage Jim,
Did you not post this insane message?:
“Not to mention the fact that, according to stories, some of the damage to the exterior of the building was "helped” along by anti-theatre individuals…
posted by DuPageDude on Nov 7, 2006 at 4:24pm"
Who cares what else you wrote, this post is entirely a lie.
I sent that wonderful man Ray Mazzolini a fruitcake today to help cheer him up. I also sent 15 extra ones for his wife. She has a really big heart.
How wonderful that is for the both of them. I fail to understand why you felt it was necessary to put that information here.
Seriously. It just makes you look like a fruitcake.
Have a very Merry and Joyful Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!
I think this community needs to begin healing now that the theatre is gone. What better time of year to accomplish the healing than Christmas?
I will be more than happy to send you some fruitcake if that will help you to heal.
Have a Merry Christmas Kevin!
If you think the community needs healing then by all means do it.
Stop wasting your precious time talking about it here.
There are only 12 days till Christmas.
Have a good one.
You still live on Lewis. Am I correct Kevin?
Only a couple of fruitcakes left! Any takers?
None for me. Thanks for asking. You eat them.
I would love to but my doctor won’t allow it. I have what you might say, a little bit of a weight problem. The corn syrup doesn’t help either. It gives me the wind like you wouldn’t believe. I’ve also been suffering from a mild case of angina lately. Have you ever had angina Kevin? You are such a big strapping man that it’s difficult to believe you could have become ill. You seem to have recovered nicely after your chemotherapy treatments. I see you have gained all of your weight back (and then some – tee-hee). I’m sure your hair will return soon also. I will say a little prayer for you.
Bless you
Somethings are best left to the imagination. Enough said on that one.
I’m baking thumbprint cookies tommorrow for the firemen. They do such a great job keeping the fire trucks clean. I think it’s so cute to see them all shopping together at Mr Z. I adore fireman. What a noble job they have. Did you ever want to be a fireman when you were a little boy Kevin? I think you would make a great paramedic. Youe would do a wonderful job of saving people. I know you could do a better job at saving people than you are at saving buildings. It was a very nice try though. Would you like some of my thumbprint cookies Kevin?
Update about the DuPage Theatre.
View link
Hey Ray Update this:
http://www.dailyherald.com/story.asp?id=311958