Is Gerber/Hart really moving to 6500 North Clark?

Permits from 2007

(Edgewater/Rogers Park) - With all the gay & mainstream reporters covering the so-called move of the Gerber/Hart Library in the last month or so, like it was some sort of done deal.

Praise was dished out on the various net-boards, everyblock, community websites, facebook and twitter pages - like a bunch of high-school cheerleaders rooting for the home team.

Problem is, did any one of these cheerleading reporters and reports, gay or straight, actually do any digging; other than run their various versions of the library's web press release?

Here's what it said:

"We have now finalized plans to move to our new home. Gerber/Hart Library and Archives will soon be located in Clark Point Plaza at 6500 North Clark Street. We plan on moving at the end of April," said Karen C. Sendziak, president of the library's board of directors.

Here's what happened. I believe too many reporters trying to cover this story drank too much of Ms. Sendziak's kool-aid she was serving up.

Now, in fairness, Kate Sosin, with Windy City Times, has done the most leg-work on the story; questioning the library, the President - and the board members who would actually say they were board members.

Watching the story unfold, you could tell Ms. Sosin was having to "pull teeth" - sort of speak, to get anything solid out of the very reclusive Karen C. Sendziak.

Who know's, maybe that's why all the LGBT reporters chose the press release route?

No water

Here's what isn't being reported - that just doesn't add up.

How can this library, with all its archives, be able to pull off this move by the end of April?

The building has been listed as recently as Feb. 2012 as for sale at $2,750,000. That's a lot of scratch to come up with in this tight market.

Who owns the building right now? How are they able to lease out something long term, something they've just put on the market?

The building is in need of serious work to get ready for the library. Work which isn't being performed at the moment.

It needs walls to create space.
It needs electricity to run light.
It needs to be have access for the handicapped.
It needs restrooms.

All these activities require official work permits from the city of Chicago. Facts are, I couldn't find any active permits posted on the building at 6500 North Clark Street. The one's posted are 5 years old.
   
Talk about permits growing mold. Two of the three permits posted on the property are so old - they've got Daley's name on them.

More facts. The water to the building was cut off due to non-payment in November 2011. (see photo #2)

More questions without answers: Who's helping with the entire movement of the all the Gerber/Hart library's massive archives of over 30 plus years of material? Is Karen doing this herself?

I know for a fact they've got a copy my entire collection of Gay Chicago Magazine's. It took me and two others nearly 3 months to organize and move my archived set from start to finish last year - so I know the enormous task of this undertaking.

One ex-board member, Darryl Vincent, known better in the lgbt gossip community as 'historian' St. Sukie de la Croix, has recently say to gay paper, WCT,  "Jon Henri Damski's collection is sitting outside the bathroom for several years..."

Ms. Sendziak needs to update the community, and not just the LGBT community, on the library's progress. Edgewater and Rogers Parker residents too.

Because now, time is running out on the current lease; and the new home looks far from ready.

This new library needs to look like a world-class public library worthy of what the the city Chicago has to offer its all residents and visitors traveling to Chicago.

Ms. Sendziak, either let us Edgewater, LGBT'rs and Rogers Parker's know what's going on - or you'll need to step aside and let someone else clean up the mess you've created.