DuPage Theater

109 S. Main Street,
Lombard, IL 60148

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Showing 351 - 375 of 1,253 comments

raymond
raymond on October 24, 2005 at 6:19 am

Lynch I don’t need a history lesson on the facts of the Dupage property.I have worked hard and long for the theatre.Talk about"taxpayer" funded theatre.Where have you ever heard about taxpayers ever having to pay for the restoration of the theatre?Spare us all your nonsense.You sound like a broken record.If you think GRANTS are not acceptable then protest ALL grants that have been accepted and used by the village.If you think TIF is not acceptable ,then protest the constant use of TIF by the village.
Spare us all from your constant dribbling and babblings.
The village of Lombard say’s “get as many grants as you can."
CT1 doesn’t like that idea.The village of Lombard dedicates $1 million in TIF for the theatre and CT1 doesn’t like that.
CT1.Just who made you mayor of Lombard.Who voted YOU as the honorary
watchdog of the theatre?Do you think you are a "watchdog” for the taxpayers of Lombard.Because if you do there are much bigger issues to clamp your teeth into.However everybody knows that your mission is the DEMOLITION of the theatre.

rbtbid
rbtbid on October 24, 2005 at 5:40 am

RobertR…give it up. Can you prove those accusations? No because there is nothing to any of that. Far from backwards here….very progressive as we move forward (even without a taxpayer funded theatre).
Duper Supporter…not one of those proposals would have likely saved the theatre. It simply would have built something new next door while you continued digging for taxpayer funding under the disguise of seeking private equity funding. Big Idea later went under…so much for good business sense on their front. They dumped the property in its gutted state to the village not so much as a gift but as a gesture of “take this unmarketable mess off our hands…and our books”.

RobertR
RobertR on October 24, 2005 at 5:19 am

They were rejected because people are being paid off and will benefit financially from the new jewel of downtown, the parking garage. God bless the friends for even trying in this backwards town.

raymond
raymond on October 24, 2005 at 4:38 am

BTW.I am still waiting for an answer as to why all five development proposals for the Dupage Theatre property from 2003 to present were rejected buy the village board.If you are soooo concerned about something happening on that property then why wasn’t one of those proposals accepted.Now the board wants to demolish the theatre and “prepare” for development.Kinda makes you wonder just what is really going on.

raymond
raymond on October 24, 2005 at 4:29 am

“Trashing of realists.” That’s a good one for you.Trustee Sebby and Tross have been “trashing” the “Friends of the Dupage Theatre” for 5 years.
Where have you been?Earth to ct1 lynch.
The “reality” of the situtation is the “love” for the place is what has kept the place alive since it was given to Lombard as a gift by Big Idea Corp.Five years ,where all of the restoration efforts were scrutinized,disected,opinionated upon and lectured upon.No other development in Lombard has had to pass the “TEST” that the theatre plan and development has.NOT ONE.
Demolition Trustee Sebby wanted the theatre demolished back in year 1999.Kinda makes you wonder just what is going on.

rbtbid
rbtbid on October 24, 2005 at 4:08 am

Theatre haters? How about theatre realists? The reality of the situation is that your love for the place is what killed the place. Any chance of partial restoration has gone nowhere since the focus was always on the arts and not simple building preservation. Your continued trashing of the “realists” shows why you failed.

DuPagefiends
DuPagefiends on October 24, 2005 at 4:06 am

Duper

It’s not “You no NOTHING” it’s “You know nothing”.

It’s not “embarass” it’s “embarrass”.

raymond
raymond on October 24, 2005 at 3:40 am

True class.[NO CLASS] Point accepted…..You no NOTHING about historical preservation.Again, you are a fraud and a liar.
Your comments on this message board are “POINTLESS”.Find a website somewhere that preys on the type of trash that you peddle.“Misery loves company."
You embarass yourself on this website.Again you and your "little” group of theatre haters motives are quite transparent.

TrueClass
TrueClass on October 24, 2005 at 3:24 am

Regarding the historical status of the Dupage Theatre and Shoppes….“You can dress up a pig, but it’s still a pig.”

Jim,
Are you ready to have yourself committed after the demolition of the Dupage Theatre? Your virtual preservation efforts are pointless.

rbtbid
rbtbid on October 24, 2005 at 3:19 am

Waiting patiently for the village to come to its senses and retain the facade and grand lobby area for entrance to a new library and commuter parking promemenade. Imaginge shoppes, parking, library, restaurants, all sharing the space…..oh but wait, partial restoration is not in the cards. It is “cultural arts center or nothing” the way the theatre people think. Too bad they never found the funding…..so it is over.

raymond
raymond on October 24, 2005 at 3:17 am

True class say’s “the building is not historical by any means.It is an ugly very smelly eyesore."
True class.Why don’t you just "GIVE IT UP."
The Dupage Theatre has received "HISTORICAL LANDMARK” status from

1 The Village of Lombard Board of Trustees.

2 The Landmark Preservation Council of Illinois.

3 The National Park Service.-National Registry of Historical Places.

4 The Lombard Historical Commission.

True class. Do you think you know more than the above mentioned?You know NOTHING about historical buildings.
The State of Illinois WOULDN’T give a $1 million GRANT for the Dupage Theatre restoration if it was a “ugly,very smelly eyesore”“
The National Park Service WOULDN’T give a $300,000.00 Federal Save America’s Treasures GRANT for the restoration if it was just an "ugly,very smelly eyesore."
True class.Once again you prove yourself to be just a fraud and a liar.You and your little group of theatre haters motives are quite transparent.
Dupage dude has EXPOSED you and your group of anti-preservation theatre haters as Frauds and Liars.
True class.Please stop embarrasing yourself with your comments.
Unless you are ready to committ yourself to the preservation the Dupage Theatre, your interest in these conversations is POINTLESS.

melders
melders on October 23, 2005 at 8:39 pm

As to Concerned Taxpayers constant “that sound is the sound of bulldozers coming”, haven’t you been saying that for the past year? Where are those bulldozers? Let’s just hope those bulldozers wait long enough for the people of Union to take what they want of the theater.

DuPageDude
DuPageDude on October 23, 2005 at 8:39 pm

Yes, they are historical tax credits, and I (and many, many others) agree about the project…

DuPageDude
DuPageDude on October 23, 2005 at 8:37 pm

Here’s some recent successes I found… Notice how a lot of them point to their theatre as a lightning rod for redevelopment…

Renovation Begun at Garden Theatre
posted by Irv Lipscomb on October 6, 2005 at 7:22am
WINTER GARDEN, FL â€" Crews began restoration work October 5 on the 1935 Garden Theatre. The movie house, closed since 1963, will become a performing arts facility and part-time movie house for the community.

The interior of this house was set in a Spanish garden, with “Romeo and Juliet” balconies, greenery, lots of Spanish tile and a twinkling star ceiling. It was used as a warehouse for over 60 years. Plans are to match the original style as closely as possible, while extending the stage forward to give sufficient space for live performances. It will seat about 300, and the theatre is scheduled to open in late 2006.

Park Theater Under Renovation
posted by Jack Nicholson on June 7, 2005 at 9:39am
CRANSTON, RI â€" The Park Theater, a vintage movie and vaudeville house in downtown Cranston, RI, is in the first stages of a major renovation and expansion. The end result is expected to produce a 1200 seat theater on the footprint of the original theater. An adjoining two story restaurant, conference center and cyber cafe will replace several other now demolished businesses to complete the block long development.

It is expected that the theater will eventually present as many as 100 concerts and theatrical productions annually. The concerts will include a variety of entertainment offerings of a pop, soft rock, country, oldies, jazz, blues and comedy nature. Theatrical presentations will be primarily multi-day and multi-week musical, comedy and drama-based stage shows with scaled down casts but well known lead performers.

The venue is located directly across the street from Cranston East High School and Cranston City Hall. The developer, who now owns the theater and the block on which it sits, is a private company.
Facility Consulting Associates (FCA), a national arena, theater and amphitheater consulting firm based in the Boston area, has been the feasibility, venue development and promoter search consultant for the since 2002.

A well-known international concert promoter and a Boston-based theatrical producer are expected to be announced as presentors of the venue’s two primary sources of annual programming

Boyd Theatre To Be Restored & Reopened
posted by Ross Melnick on January 7, 2005 at 8:58am
PHILADELPHIA, PA â€" The following email was sent in by Howard Haas:

“The Boyd Theatre’s Future!

The great news is that the historic Boyd Theatre will be restored & in late 2006 reopened. Clear Channel will invest much money in the Art Deco showplace. Money won’t be asked from Philadelphia or PA taxpayers. As we have said before, the Friends of the Boyd will continue to fundraise for restoration of Art Deco features, and to assist with a film program, public tours, exhibits of the theater’s history, and in other ways.

Why should Friends’ raise funds? Because there is only so much money- in this instance $31 million dollars! that Clear Channel can invest and still make a profit. They are responsible to their shareholders. Since they will seek federal historic tax credits, there are standards they need adhere to, but those standards mean they need retain historic features still at the theater.

Restoration of Fox Tucson Coming Along
posted by Bryan Krefft on September 21, 2004 at 8:24am
TUCSON, AZ â€" The restoration project to bring the 74 year-old Fox in downtown Tucson back to life after years of neglect is progressing slowly but surely, according to the Tucson Citizen.

With the work on the exterior of the theater nearing completion, including the restoration and relighting of the historic marquee, the work is now beginning on the interior of the Fox. The first phase of the restoration of the inside of the building includes the lobby spaces, the balcony level and the basement.

The project began five years ago, and according to Herb Stratford, the executive director of the Fox Theatre Foundation, “People say, ‘What’s taking so long?’ Well, you don’t just show up at the Home Depot and fix up a national historic landmark. There’s an amazing amount of stuff you have to do.”

Stratford says that once the Fox restoration is complete, it will be an asset to downtown and the Rio Nuevo redevelopment. “I think within six months you’re going to see somes things change downtown, and within five years, you won’t even recognize downtown.”

WOW!! READ THE LAST PARAGRAPH, AND THINK ABOUT LOMBARD…..

melders
melders on October 23, 2005 at 8:34 pm

Save America’s Treasures grants are not given out to just any preservation project. What are the “tax credits” that are talked about? Could those be historical tax credits? Because if they are, this is the kind of project they where created for.

DuPageDude
DuPageDude on October 23, 2005 at 5:24 pm

Well apparently the FEDERAL GOVERMENT feels that the DuPage Theatre is very historical, as does the State of Illinois, the Landmarks Preservation Council and a multitude of other people, both in Lombard and out!!!

TrueClass
TrueClass on October 23, 2005 at 5:08 pm

The building is not historical by any means. It is an ugly, very smelly eyesore. The only portion worth saving is the promenade lobby.

tntim
tntim on October 23, 2005 at 4:31 pm

I bet that the DuPage Theatre thread will have more posts than Radio City Music Hall’s by the end of the year. Any takers?

raymond
raymond on October 23, 2005 at 4:18 pm

Dupage Dude.The Elmhurst Hospital medical center is “really” packing in the shoppers isn’t it.Give me a break.Whoever heard of a medical facility of that size in the “heart” of OUR historical district?

rbtbid
rbtbid on October 23, 2005 at 4:17 pm

As if writing letters at this point will make a bit of difference…where were the letters two, three, four, five years ago? Save the postage to buy yourself a Coke or better yet take a few final pictures and have them printed at Walgreens before wrecking day. And who’s Lynch? Not me.

raymond
raymond on October 23, 2005 at 4:05 pm

ct1 lynch.There was the R.S.C.and Associates proposal,there was the Neri proposal,there was the Norwood Builders proposal,there was the A.A.Rose proposal and then the latest R.S.C. proposal.All 5 rejected by the Village board of trustees.All included the sale of the south property as was agreed upon by a majority of the village board on October 17,2002.
Shall I go on ,because so far you are a LOOSER.
BTW.One million in TIF was also agreed upon by a majority of the village board.HUMMMMM.

DuPageDude
DuPageDude on October 23, 2005 at 4:01 pm

Ann, if this arguement id done as you say, please kindly leave this board..Nice way to treat your fellow Lomabardians, attack them and pick their opinions apart!!
Your comment was “They talk about historic preservation and then try to change the entire look and feel to this Village by building a ollosal building in the very heart of our historic district. None of it made sense and the theatre will pay the ultimate price for it.” You talk about changing the look and feel of the downtown, yet the building to be restored has been in that downtown from virtually it’s beginning! The hospital building HAS NOT. In addition, the Village eliminated a large chunk of parking to do so…Of course, what a better strategy to tear down the theatre and build a parking garage on it— create a need for parking by eliminating it…
And KURT, even though the hospital is four floors, the top of the building is nearly 50 feet high.
On and Ann, another dreary day, another 10 letters sent today…Have a Coke and a smile, Just Do It!!!

rbtbid
rbtbid on October 23, 2005 at 3:42 pm

What five development proposals? There was the RFP for the south parcel that went nowhere since it was best to incorporate the theatre site with the south parcel for RFP’s at a later date. There have not been five theatre proposals….and the “friends” were supposed to find private funding to restore their theatre, not take the funds from TIF, the sale of the south parcel, and tax credits. They were supposed to uncover non tax dollar sources of funding but they failed at that.

And Rita…looks like you are losing it. The Elmhurst Hospital building is only four floors…the top is “architectural elements” only and not occupied space. And that building is a great addition to the downtown…such a gem compared to the eyesore called a once was theatre across the way that has a date with demolition crew in a few short weeks. Bet it doesn’t make it past Thanksgiving!

raymond
raymond on October 23, 2005 at 3:03 pm

True class.Why have all 5 development proposals from March of 2003 to the present been rejected by the board of trustees?

TrueClass
TrueClass on October 23, 2005 at 2:35 pm

The hospital is not adjacent to residential property.
The flywall of the theatre did not have windows with people peering into the back yards of the taxpaying residents.
You failed to address my point that this argument is over. The Board will NEVER change it’s stance. Your leaders opted for the strategy of attack and make false allegations against elected officials. It has backfired on you terribly. Even if a private developer offered to purchase the site and restore it at their own cost, the VOL would reject their RFP. You people have ruined the theatre restoration hope by your own stupid actions. Stop pointing the fingers at others. WE have a right to be opposed…You want to save your childhood memories at the expense of everyone else. You will go down in the preservation hall of shame for your misguided actions.

Please stop embarrasing youselves further with your comments. You have no vested interest in this conversation anymore. The theatre will be down before the new year and it’s your fault Friends. Those are the facts.