Grace Hall Update

An as-yet unnamed developer, who was taking a look at purchasing, moving and renovating Grace Hall, has apparently decided that he cannot make the deal work to his financial advantage.
How many of us could have told him that the cost of ground on which to place it and the exorbitant cost of moving a huge brick building would sink that project?

Architects from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency apparently talked with him about moving and preserving Grace Hall, but it all seems to be part of some secretive group that works without involving the general public, even though a City Commission is somewhat involved.

Check out this sentence: "Efforts are being made to place Grace Hall on Landmark Illinois' 2009 Ten Most Endangered Sites List in the hope someone or some organization may step forward to prevent its imminent demolition in April."

Haven't I been writing about the "imminent" demolition??? Nice, finally, to see someone else using that word! And the demolition is imminent, but it doesn't have to be.

People - more than three or four - are going to have to come out of the woodwork, put on their heated mittens, and get busy. Otherwise, the City Council is going to drop a demolition permit for the project on April 21, unless they surprise us with an end-run and try to do it sooner.

Then about the only thing that will stop the wrecking ball will be a circle of townspeople around Grace Hall or a few people chained to the building or who have taken up residency in the building. Well, you know what I mean. Gone to the "administration building" of Woodstock Christian Life Services legal business.

Caryl Roskie Lemanski (the daughter of Todd School Coach Tony Roskie, referenced in The Stranger), has applied for Grace Hall to be listed on Landmarks Illinois's Ten Most Endangered Sites list for 2009.

In the past, this listing has gotten widespread publicity across the state and nation within the preservation community and mainstream media. Your help is needed to support this application, because demonstrated public concern is crucial to the application.

See www.landmarks.org/ten_most.htm for the 2008 list. Send your thoughts to Landmarks Illinois by going through its website at www.landmarks.org/contact_us.htm

Don't just "think" about sending your message to Landmarks. Do it. Do it now.