Editor
The downtown Des Plaines Theater building may be demolished or renovated next year to make room for a new bank, the Journal has learned.
Northwest Suburban Bancorp, Inc., which operates community banks in Mt. Prospect and North Barrington, has a contract to buy the aging 78-year-old structure located at Miner and Lee streets. Should city approval be given for a drive-through at the facility, the hopes of a group of local residents who dreamed of transforming the building into a performing arts center will evaporate.
Earlier this year, Mayor Tony Arredia formed a task force of approximately 30 residents to explore the possibility of renovating the building for use as a performing arts center. While members of the group expressed strong enthusiasm, the idea sputtered primarily because of a lack of money to finance such a venture. Arredia had said that the city would not fund the purchase of the property. City Council members also expressed little support in financing a $45,000 study to determine whether the arts center proposal had merit.
For decades, the Des Plaines Theater was a popular entertainment venue for local residents who watched everything from Vaudeville acts to circus shows and movies there. In recent years, the owners of the movie theater showed only Indian movies there. Also, live local bands performed in the building as well.
John Eilering, president and CEO of the bank holding company and Mt. Prospect National Bank, declined to say how much the property will cost if a deal is finalized. It's believed that the asking price was $1.2 million. Eilering said among the options being considered is using the front part of the existing building for bank offices by remodeling the building, or completely tearing down the structure.
"Local people would be running it," said Eilering, who is also a commissioner of the Mt. Prospect Park Dist. A former Mt. Prospect Park commissioner, Rosemary Argus, now a Des Plaines alderman, is a member of Mt. Prospect National Bank's Advisory Board.
"If the city wants us to demolish it, we will build a new bank," said Eilering. "We'd like a drive-through where the theater part is." He added that future discussions with the city would likely include the utilization of some city Tax Increment Financing Dist. funds.
"If we get the city's OK, we'd probably build in 2003," Eilering added.
A supporter of the performing arts center, idea, Paul Saletnik, said he opposes allowing a bank to operate there.
"I oppose having a bank on that corner. That's for damn sure," said Saletnik, a member of the Des Plaines Zoning Board of Appeals that will hear the proposal for a Conditional Use Permit to allow the drive-through to operate. "I prefer a theater there. He added that during a conversation he had with Ald. Dick Sayad (4th) this past Sunday, Sayad told him that the viewpoint favoring a performing arts center in the theater is a proposal few people support. Saletnik expressed doubt about Sayad's conclusion.
"I'd like to be proven wrong," said Saletnik referring to his belief that many local residents favor an arts center.
"After the meeting with the mayor, no one has stepped forward to pay for an arts center," responded Sayad. "It's been a year. You draw your own conclusion. There's not been that much interest. I'm not stopping anybody."
Meanwhile, Arredia said "no one has come up to me saying they want to build a bank there." He added, "My vision for an arts center there is now just a flicker."
Arredia said he has been involved in several meetings with the owners of the theater building.
"They said 'yes fix our building'. I said to them 'you'll have to do it. We will help.' I have said that the city will not fund fixing up the theater building for a performing arts center," said Arredia.