Tentative Meeting With Prospective Developer!
Hi Everyone:
Well, the holidays must finally be over, because I just received a call back from John Molloy with the Department of Planning and Development.
John assures me that we will have a meeting with the prospective developer in the next few weeks. The man in question is out of town on business and will be approached again, by John, to meet with 2 of our memembers at his earliest convienence. Yeah! Now, hopefully we won't have to sign a non-disclosure agreement so we will be able to share this information with you all.
Furthermore, regarding the condition of the Ramova building, John Molloy tells me
that their crew is unable to use the adhesive that they need to use to cover the window, due to the severe temperatures. Basically, it needs to be warmer for the glue to stick. I think this is a possible valid reason why this type of adhesive isn't being used, but there must be some way to block that window and protect the interior from further destructioin without using that type of adhesive, so that was my reply. Also, they have a crew looking at the roof too.
I would like to call a meeting asap. More to follow.
Thanks for your concern.
Maureen-
8 Comments:
Thanks for the update, I should mention there is also a hole on the side of the building, facing southwards towards the empty lot. I have no idea what it's doing there.
Maureen . Thanks for the new post . I e-mailed you today so I will get back to you tomorrow . I have heard around the neighborhood that the derelics go into the Ramova for shelter . I once went in there like 7 yrs. ago and pretended to be intersted in buying the place . At the time, the real estate company around the corner had the keys and told me the owner at the time was out of town . They showed me around inside adn all the seats were gone, and alot of the interior lobby was still intact . When I looked up, the ceiling was painted ( well, what was left of the original artwork ) in a decorative garden type setting with a blue sky, and puffy clouds and it almost looked like a giulded cage type of design . The woman at the time showing me the inside of the Ramova said the owner had had the roof fixed and it cost him like 15 thousand dollars? Well, before we left, we noticed that in the corner of one of the entrances to the actual theater, not the lobby, there were some blankets and personal belongings . There was a squatter living there . I guess he had his or her own way of coming and going . Well, I think that is why there is a hole in the side of the building .
Nino.
That hole in question is up pretty high, so I doubt they could get in that way. I'm not shocked to hear of a squatter.
Hi Maureen,
The Summer, 1989 issue of the Chicago Historical Society's magazine "Chicago History" has a picture of the poster announcing the opening of the Ramova theatre on August 18, 1929. The poster is in Lithuanian and has a very nice illustration of how the Ramova looked along with the program (since my Lithuanian is basically non-existent, at $3 it must have been impressive :-).
I've computer scanned it and if you would like a 'hard' and/or digital floppy disk copy of it, please let me know. I can either email, 'snail-mail', or possibly drop it off somewhere to you since I will be in Chicago this Saturday breakfasting at the Healthy Food Restaurant on Halsted.
Thanks for all your hard and 'Most Excellent' work to save the Ramova,
Tom
Naperville; ex-35th Place
PS I'll look into if any permissions are needed to use the picture beyond 'fair use.'
Hi again,
re the Ramova theatre name, the following appeared in the Chicago Tribune "Action Line" column of 12/07/81:
"A--A reader asked (Sound Off, Nov. 25) how the Ramova Theater at 35th and Halsted Streets got its name. When I was a young girl living on the Southwest Side, my mother told me a contest was held to name the theater while it was being built. According to her, it was won by a Father Linkus, who later became pastor at Holy Cross Church at 45th and Wood Streets. He also was known as "Padre of the Back of the Yards." I believe the contest was run by Draugas, a Lithuanian newspaper. I think Ramova was the name of a flower.
Barbara Poskonka, St. Charles
A -The Rev. Anicetus M. Linkus, a native of Lithuania, was ordained in Chicago in 1922, so he was on the scene when the Ramova opened on Aug. 21, 1928. James Petrauskas, a former Bridgeport resident now living in Mountain Home, Ark., told us he watched the theater being built. He said Ramova is a Lithuanian word which means peaceful place. Another reader consulted the Lithuanian Encyclopedia to find that Ramova or Romuva originally was a sanctuary for religious rites where the eternal flame was kept. That was when fire was still worshipped. Ramova, she said, was a popular name for parks, cultural centers, societies and publishing houses."
Tom
Naperville; ex-35th Place
So any new news about the meetings? Anything at all?
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Hi Everyone:
I just left John Molloy another message regarding the meeting with the prospective developer, if there is a prospective developer, what's going on?!?!?
Okay, regarding a squatter- yes, we know that there was a squatter(s) living in the theater. Supposedly, the City knew it too and that reportedly has ended.
I really think the south wall is just crumbling, but will make it over there tonight to look at the hole to see what's going on. From what I have been told (by the Sun Times reporter and others who have been inside in the last few years)the south wall has sustained a lot of damage (Nino, you were in there what did you see?)
Tom from Naperville...Thanks! I do have the paperwork (original ad for opening in Lithuanian, Action Line column and additional historical info.) and some really great photos I have found that I will bring to our meeting.
I'm so glad that everyone is up for a meeting!!! It's looking like a Tuesday night at Connie's on Archer (tentatively 3/7 would be ideal for us and give us time to hang up flyers/notices to get out the word so people will attend) would be the best way to go. Connie's seems like the best place. We can get drinks, appetizers etc. and brainstorm/share info etc. We believe that Connie's would be a good location due to the fact that everyone knows it, it's open late, we can find an out of the way corner (like the pit area- the area that's recessed down a few stairs)and if a lot of people come we will have the option to expand our seating arrangement with little trouble. Any thoughts?
Once again, I am sorry this has taken a long time to get together, but we work weird hours and have had to clear time at night to do this. I apologize in advance for the delay.
Please email me with your thoughts, comments etc. I will make an official post today or tomorrow regaring the meeting once I clear the date with a few key members.
Also, if anyone would like to help with the design, printing and distribution of the flyer for the meeting/Ramova group please email me to coordinate our efforts. We can use all the help we can get!
Thanks for posting and caring!
Viva La Ramova!
Sincerely,
Maureen-
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