Out of steam
Something’s up at the Division Street Baths, last of the venerable public steam and sauna houses in the city and one of my favorite wintertime retreats. The door is shuttered, the phone number is disconnected, and there’s no notice of any kind about why it is closed. The baths have such a loyal following and checkered past that the complete silence seems very odd.
My pal Greer who is both a bath devotee and a novice gumshoe emailed Jesse Jackson, Jr. — like his dad, a long-time fan of the baths — who replied that he had no idea what had happened but that he was not pleased about it. Greer then called Alderman Flores whose office replied that the bath house building is undergoing complete renovation and should reopen in the spring.
But why no notice on the building? Why is the phone number disconnected? Something is not right here. Health code violation? Mafia?
One response to “Out of steam”
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just got off the phone with a reporter at the Sun-Times. They too report the baths are undergoing renovation. The reporter spent a few minutes with the owner getting a tour of the progress. They are hoping to repopen before the end of the year (but the reporter was skeptical).
Look for an article in the paper soon…