Walt Disney Home to Become Small Private Museum? (Chicago: 2013, how much)

[marothisu]

Two people, partners in a studio/married couple from Los Angeles, have purchased the boyhood home of Walt Disney in Hermosa and plan to have a modest type of museum there. Sounds like some of the neighbors interviewed are supportive of it and the new owners want to be respectful to the neighborhood as well.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/04/bu...seum.html?_r=0

Disney Boyhood Home Buyers: 'We Don't Want to Disrupt the Neighborhood' - Hermosa - DNAinfo.com Chicago

Thoughts? I must say it's probably a good thing that the home is about a half mile from the Healy Milwaukee District-North metra stop.

[chet everett]

The couple seems earnest but somehow the idea has just too little going for it -- "authentically recreate the Disney household life experience" -- um, they moved to a farm in Missouri when lil' Walt wasn't even FIVE YEARS OLD!!! Beginnings: Walt Disney

And for THIS they need to raise half a million dollars for a professional restoration? Are the gonna excavate the backyard looking for a diaper with a stain that sorta looks like Steamboat Willie???

[marothisu]

Of course, but I bet most people don't know this. The couple owns a studio in LA that does the creative work for a bunch of different exhibitions at theme parks and what not. They're probably capable of artistically creating a lot. My guess is that they can afford the $500K themselves, but probably want to see how much they can raise first.

They do have a few good supporters too

In Chicago, they have a lot of help. Charles Pipal, an architect and adjunct professor in the historic preservation program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, is an adviser. So is Tim Samuelson, Chicago’s cultural historian.

Who knows if it will 100% happen, but if it does it will be interesting to see. Property values will probably increase a little bit around there which is great for the homeowners.