Politics & Government

Opera House Restoration Awarded $288,000 Facade Grant by Village Board

Renovation work currently under way will return the structure to what it looked like when built in 1912.

The will contribute $288,555 to the rehabilitation of the downtown building known as the , which is being restored to its 1912 glory.

Funding will come in the form of a façade grant, which will cover half of the $577,110 cost for extensive exterior work being done by , who is sinking more than $1 million into the renovation of the two-story building at 24027 W. Lockport St.

The good news for taxpayers is the grant money won’t be coming from tax coffers. Instead, it will be taken from downtown tax increment financing district funds, which is property tax money generated by properties within the district to do work to improve the area.

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What is unusual, however, is the size of the grant, which exceeds the standard $150,000 maximum allocation.

Plainfield Village Board trustees, who approved the grant Monday night, said the money could be justified because it is going to restore one of the downtown district’s centerpiece properties, it will be paid out over two years and it won’t set a precedent, as the amount has been exceeded for other projects.

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“I really applaud your efforts,” Trustee Jim Racich told Habiger. “Anyone that takes that building on and invests that kind of capital into it, you’re really doing a good thing for Plainfield.”

Habiger began the renovation work this summer, essentially tearing off the materials that covered the façade and gutting the building – which most recently housed a restaurant, antique store and apartments. Not only is the building being returned to its 1912 appearance, its electrical, plumbing, heating and air-conditioning systems are being replaced. Plainfield architect Michael Lambert, who specializes in historic renovation projects, is doing the design work.

The building’s history makes it among the most noteworthy structures in the downtown area. It was originally built as an opera house in 1898 by C.W. Marks, a Chicago shoe company magnate and owner of the famous racehorse “Joe Patchen.” Rebuilt in 1912 following a fire, the opera house occupied the second floor, the Evarts Bank the corner storefront, and a hardware and grocery store the rest of the first floor.

According to "A History of Plainfield Then and now," the property was later acquired by Martin Moran, who converted the space into a movie theater called the Alamo and placed a beacon on a flagpole in order to attract travelers on the Lincoln Highway.

In its next incarnation, the book says, the second-floor space was made into the Blue Goose Dance Hall by owner Warren “Bunk” Overman, with the first floor serving as a restaurant and soda fountain. Later occupants used the first and second floors alternately as dentists’ offices, a dry goods store, a variety store and a drug store.

In 1958, the first floor was converted into a restaurant called the Clock Tower, in recognition of the clock that anchored a decorative round room jutting out from the second story. It’s a name by which some locals still refer to it today.

The façade changes planned by Habiger include restoring the building’s original arched windows, repairing and replacing the masonry, building new storefront entries, installing exterior lighting and awnings, and replacing the front sidewalks.

While initially expecting the work to cost in the neighborhood of $700,000 to $800,000, Habiger said costs have escalated because of unexpected problems with the mechanical work. He remains on target, however, to have the renovation completed by late summer.

He also intends to submit the building for National Register of Historic Places designation, which would entitle him to receive federal tax breaks.

Interest in leasing the space has been strong, Habiger said, although he’s not yet signed any contracts.

The building’s second floor may be the trickiest to fill with a tenant. Habiger said it’s possible it could be used for a restaurant or banquet hall.


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