In Prato in the 1990s, an episode occurred that involved the city's cultural life, a gem in the Italian textile industry. It was a case of patronage that prevented the Teatro Politeama from falling victim to real estate speculation. The theater's auditorium, stage, and the entire structure from the floor to Nervi's dome were transformed into a steep ramp for accessing various levels of an immense garage. Unlike what happens today, the patrons who funded this initiative were not the typical brands of sponsorship but rather the owners of a small cleaning business along with many other private citizens.