This browser does not support the Video element.
Jewel of Joliet reopens: Rialto Square Theatre bounces back after asbestos shutdown
Situated a few blocks from the river along Route 66 in downtown Joliet, the 98-year-old theater is a living piece of history, with its stories etched into its very walls.
JOLIET, Ill. - Often referred to as the "Jewel of Joliet," the Rialto Square Theatre faced a significant setback this summer when improper asbestos disposal led to a shutdown by the Illinois EPA.
Now, the historic venue has reopened and is ready for the holidays.
Situated a few blocks from the river along Route 66 in downtown Joliet, the 98-year-old theater is a living piece of history, with its stories etched into its very walls.
"Everyone knows the Rialto. Everyone has a story," said Rialto Square Theatre Executive Director Wade Welsh. "Towards the end of July, I received a phone call from the EPA after they had stopped by for an inspection that the subcontractor, that our contractor had hired, had a violation through the EPA and was not properly removing the asbestos."
According to Welsh, a subcontractor working in the theater’s basement began removing asbestos from pipes in preparation for a new HVAC system set to be installed next summer.
However, the Illinois EPA discovered three improperly sealed bags of asbestos in the basement, prompting action.
The mishandling even led to a lawsuit filed by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
As a result, the theater was forced to close its doors while undertaking a comprehensive cleanup of the nearly century-old building—a process that cost more than $1 million.
"It's not like it was falling in the theater or anything like that. This was an isolated incident in the basement in one specified area, but unfortunately, the hypothetical game comes in when it comes to the EPA that they have to assume the worst, and we have to obviously correct it," said Welsh.
Welsh noted that legal action against the subcontractor may be forthcoming due to the mishandling, but the theater moved forward and successfully reopened in October.
Leann Hoffrogge, who has spent more than 20 years volunteering and working at the Rialto, gave a backstage tour, showcasing thousands of signatures left by past performers, including Jerry Seinfeld and Taylor Swift.
The theater, designed by renowned architects Rapp and Rapp—also behind the Chicago Theater and New York’s Paramount Building—was completed in just 18 months at a cost of $2 million.
It was built around its original Barton Grande Theatre pipe organ, a rare treasure with only about 10 remaining in the country.
The magnificence isn’t just in the theater itself, patrons are wowed from the entrance of the Rialto, down the hall and into the rotunda where all eyes go up.
"We are standing underneath the duchess. She is the seventh largest hand-cut crystal chandelier in the world, the largest in North America," said Hoffrogge. "She's approximately two and a half tons in weight, about 21 to 22 feet in length, and she has Australian hand-cut crystal Steuben glass and Tiffany glass."
The Rialto truly shines during the holiday season, thanks to the hard work of a dedicated team of volunteers and staff who spend days transforming the theater with festive decorations. It’s an especially hectic time for them, with just two days off between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
"There's so much to look at, but it's so beautifully presented," said Hoffrogge. "The building, it's not too much, it's not too ornate, it's just right."