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[ Open House Chicago 2024 — All Saints' Episcopal Church, Dank Haus German Cultural Center, St. Mary of the Lake, Riviera Theater, Wilson Avenue Theater]
#I think the people who rehab or maintain historic locations are doing holy work.#I was privileged to catch one of the riviera owners talking about what it looked like back in the day vs. what it is now#the photographs they've put up and what (they can only guess) was there back in the day#I found where the guys rehabbing the wilson avenue theater cut through to the back offices - it was a bank before it was a theater#and there's a whole warren of vaults and breakrooms behind the front-facing bits#and even the curators at all saints' were talking about how the striking dark arts and crafts-style woodwork was brand new#a decision made in the 70s; before that it was just a worn-down church#(even dank haus - it looks like every 90s public school I ever attended and they're in the middle of a refurbishing right now.)#I kept thinking about how thankless a lot of this work is if you don't know how much time and money and attention goes into it.#all you know is that things look different; there's an elevator where there wasn't before and things are neater and cleaner.#except that takes so so many hands and a lot of money and time and someone somewhere caring intensely.#even just this weekend! someone has to arrange for t-shirts sign up volunteers; to train them and give them site-specific instructions.#somebody has to stand around and encourage you to sign up for the email list. and give some tours.#answer questions. talk about the architect and the refurbishment work. tell people where the bathrooms are.#anyway. it's a triumph. it is.#city of the big shoulders#wherever there is light
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