Meeting with Alderman Balcer

Yesterday we sat down with Alderman James Balcer and his assistant Kelly. We presented an October 8 report containing 541 Save The Ramova petition signatures and discussed the theatre and the neighborhood for about twenty minutes.

We think he has the same sentimental attachment to the building that so many of us do. We heard him repeat that the Ramova "would have been torn down by now" were it not for his protection of the building.

As for the building's future plans, we got only this:

"No lofts, no condos, no townhomes"
"What can be saved, needs to be."
"It will not be knocked down."
"The marquee may have to be taken down if it's unsafe to the public."

He unfortunately restated that he could not discuss who the developer is or what the current plan for the theatre and the two related lots are.

Then he asked us what he could do.

We asked for access to the building. He agreed we should see the inside and said he would move to arrange that.

At that point we proposed that the 11th Ward commission an independent study of the theatre's interior and marquee restorability. We told him we strongly believe that architects and restoration experts outside city government should examine the interior, compare with archival photos and produce cost estimates to do restoration work on the interior walls, ceiling and floors.

We proposed this study for three main reasons. First, the alternative to an independent study is to trust an unnamed developer proposing an unspecified plan to make life-or-death decisions about the building. This is unacceptable to STR and it's supporters. No matter what redevelopment plan is considered, such a report is necessary specifically to answer the central question of what "can" be saved and then address how can it integrate with the new plan.

Second: The blanket pessimism we heard from Department of Planning and Development (DPD) project manager John Molloy does not fit the photographs that ran in the Sun-Times story. The interior has been sadly damaged, there is no doubt - but what the extent of that damage actually is and what it may cost to restore seem to be questions nobody has asked. We can begin that work with the promised access, but that is only a beginning.

Third: DPD, despite what we are sure are their best efforts, have a recent record in the neighborhood of having developments and developers "get away" from them. As examples, we brought up the troubled Bridgeport Village development on Bubbly Creek (second story) and the halted progress resulting in years of empty lots on Halsted Street between 31st and 33rd. We noted that DPD has seen its Commissioner step down last week now has a brand new Commissioner. The Alderman agreed that the department is "in flux" as a result.

Unfortunately, the alderman rejected the independent study idea out of hand, citing lack of funds. But he did promise to "work with DPD" to "find out what we need to find out" about the preservability of the theatre features. He seems to think that DPD has made a study of the subject of preservability (which is news to us, by the way) and that he would obtain a copy of that work. He asked us to return to his office "after November 11th" (Veteran's Day) and he would get that for us.

What does everyone think? Has anybody heard anything about the marquee before today? Or a study done by DPD?

Maureen & Rob