Last Day
National Veterans Art Museum says goodbye to the South Loop
09/23/2012 12:09 PM
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A popular piece of art at the National Veterans Art Museum in the South Loop
Alderman Bob Fioretti and Paulette Boyd, NVAM fundraiser and special event maven, on The Last Day
It's always hurt that the conventional wisdom in the South Loop went something like this when talk of the National Veterans Art Museum came up: they're moving.
And yesterday really was their last day in their long-time home at 18th and Indiana--in a building that now belongs to the Chicago Park District. Alderman Fioretti told me Saturday afternoon that there will be four million dollars spent on transforming the now former museum space into extra field house recreational space for the neighborhood to enjoy.
It wasn't all so sad at the final reception yesterday--which resembled one of their openings. South Loop fundraising and special events maven Paulette Boyd hovered around with a big smile and two helping hands like she has in recent years on behalf of NVAM. Plenty of refreshments graced their table, plenty of people, plenty of dignitaries and plenty of combat-related, military-inspired art.
And why shouldn't there be hope and excitement in the air? The museum will land safely and imminently at Irving and Milwaukee in a new home--and will be ready for its first opening in its new digs in time for Veterans Day. The South Loop's loss is Old Irving's gain.
Good luck, NVAM. It was fun while it lasted. You were a good neighbor--and a neighborhood treasure.