, ▁v au dev ill ian , ▁Shakespeare an , ▁lect ures , ▁Women ' s ▁Christian ▁Tem per ance ▁Union ▁meet ings , ▁rec it als , ▁high ▁school ▁plays ▁and ▁gradu ations , ▁church ▁gather ings , ▁fire men ' s ▁ball ▁and ▁many ▁other ▁events . ▁As ▁other ▁facilities ▁became ▁available ▁to ▁client ele ▁the ▁Opera ▁House ▁was ▁left ▁idle ▁following ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁City ▁government ▁offices ▁continued ▁to ▁function ▁within ▁building ▁despite ▁the ▁d orm ant ▁the ater ▁above . ▁ ▁New ▁life ▁ ▁A ▁community ▁group ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁Sand wich ▁City ▁Hall ' s ▁pla cement ▁on ▁the ▁National ▁Register ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁A ▁few ▁years ▁later ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁the ▁group , ▁the ▁Association ▁to ▁Rest ore ▁City ▁Hall , ▁was ▁given ▁tax - ex empt ▁status ▁and ▁received ▁a ▁grant ▁of ▁nearly ▁$ 1 . 3 ▁million ▁from ▁the ▁Illinois ▁Department ▁of ▁Com merce ▁and ▁Community ▁Affairs ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 . ▁The ▁grant ▁covered ▁ 7 5 % ▁of ▁rest oration ▁and ▁construction ▁costs ▁and ▁the ▁rest oration ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁The ▁rest oration ▁provided ▁new ▁offices ▁for ▁many ▁city ▁government ▁officials ▁including ▁the ▁mayor , ▁City ▁C ler k , ▁Ass istant ▁City ▁C ler k , ▁and ▁City ▁Engine er . ▁In ▁addition ▁it ▁provided ▁for ▁a ▁public ▁area ▁where ▁residents ▁could ▁pay ▁b ills ▁or ▁conduct ▁other ▁business . ▁ ▁The ▁rest oration ▁also ▁included