14 December 2004
Chicago's Victory Gardens Theatre has begun renovating the historic Biograph Theater at 2433 North Lincoln Avenue. The renovated theater will contain a 299-seat main-stage auditorium, a smaller studio theater, and various rehearsal and public spaces. The $9-million project is scheduled for completion in late 2005. The Biograph was built in 1914. The notorious bank robber John Dillinger was killed by federal law enforcement agents outside the theater in 1934.

18 November 2004
The Chicago Plan Commission approved plans by the Mills Corporation of Arlington, Virginia, to build a large residential, retail, and commercial complex on Block 37, the mostly vacant Loop property bounded by State, Randolph, Dearborn, and Washington Streets. Groundbreaking on the long-delayed project is expected to take place by summer of 2005. Two historic movie palaces, the Roosevelt Theater (more info) and the United Artists Theater (more info), Hillman's department store, the legendary Bensinger's billiards and bowling center, and several other structures once occupied Block 37. Despite the objections of preservationists, the movie palaces, along with the other structures, were demolished over ten years ago to make way for redevelopment that has yet to move beyond the planning stages.

16 September 2004
The Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois released its annual Watch List of the state's most threatened architecturally or historically significant buildings. Among the buildings listed were five Chicago movie theaters that are currently closed or used only sparingly: the Central Park Theater, 3535 West Roosevelt Road; the Gateway Theater, 5216 West Lawrence Avenue; the former Avalon Theater, 1641 East 79th Street; the Patio Theater, 6008 West Irving Park Road; and the Uptown Theater, 4816 North Broadway. (Read the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois press release.)

20 July 2004
According to the Chicago Tribune, current Biograph Theater owner Larry Edwards has agreed to sell the historic movie house at 2433 North Lincoln Avenue to the Victory Gardens Theatre arts organization for $2 million. As part of a $7-8 million renovation project, Victory Gardens plans to gut the interior of the building, but preserve the theater's historic facade. The theater will cease operation as a movie house in September of this year.

14 July 2004
The Chicago Tribune reported that the Griffin Theatre Company plans to leave the historic Calo Theater at 5404 North Clark Street in the Andersonville neighborhood as soon as another performance space can be found. A theater representative attributed the decision to a sudden increase in rent.

23 March 2004
After several delays, the main theater of the Harold Washington Cultural Center at East 47th Street and South King Drive in the Bronzeville neighborhood debuted. The rest of the performing arts center is expected to open later this spring. The center is located on the former site of the Regal Theater and Savoy Ballroom.

9 June 2004
Following a three-month search for a buyer, Minneapolis-based Target Corporation announced it would sell Marshall Field's (more info), including its historic State Street store, to Saint Louis-based May Department Stores Company for $3.2 billion. Gene Kahn, May's chief executive, said the company will maintain the Field's name and the recently remodeled State Street store. According to a company press release, "May will retain the Marshall Field's nameplate and operate it as one of the stand-alone department store divisions under the May umbrella. May also intends to maintain the product exclusives–such as Frango mints–that are long-standing traditions at Marshall Field's." The deal also included three distribution centers and nine Mervyn's stores in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area. Target, formerly known as Dayton Hudson Corporation, acquired Field's in 1990 for $1 billion. (Read the May Company press release.)

24 May 2004
The National Trust for Historic Preservation placed Chicago's historic Cook County Hospital on its annual list of the nation's Most Endangered Historic Places. "Despite public outcry and studies demonstrating the feasibility of converting the venerable building to housing or other uses," the organization stated, "the leadership of the Cook County Board remains determined to demolish it at a cost to taxpayers of $30 million." Built in 1914, the publicly owned and operated Cook County Hospital aimed to provide essential medical care for all Chicagoans at a time when most private hospitals denied service to African Americans, immigrants, and the poor. The hospital developed the first blood bank in 1933 and the first designated trauma unit in 1966. (Read the National Trust press release.)

24 April 2004
Borders Group, Inc. has opened a new book and music store in the historic Loren Miller/Goldblatt's (more info) and Sheridan Trust and Savings Bank buildings in Uptown. The renovation of the two buildings into a mix of retail and condominium space began in February 2003, as part of a $24.3 redevelopment project by J. Freed and Associates. The new Borders store occupies the first two floors of the former department store and bank buildings. "The Goldblatt's building is gorgeous and we've taken great care to preserve this historical landmark," said Randy Rohde, regional director for Borders Group, Inc. (Read the Border's press release.)

10 March 2004
Target Corporation announced its intention to sell its sixty-two Marshall Field's (more info) stores in Chicago, Detroit, and Minneapolis-Saint Paul. Target acquired Field's in 1990, but the stores have not performed as well as expected under Target management. Potential buyers include the Saint Louis-based May Department Stores Company and Cincinnati-based Federated Department Stores, Inc.

10 January 2004
The Chicago Tribune reported that Archibald Candy Company will close all of its 228 Fannie May candy stores by Feburary 15. The first Fannie May candy store opened in 1920 at 11 North LaSalle Street in Chicago's Loop.

3 January 2004
Evanton's venerable Orrington Hotel has closed for renovations, according to a Chicago Tribune report. The $22.5 million project will be completed in June. The nine-story hotel opened in 1923 and is currently owned by Greenfield Partners LLC of South Norwalk, Connecticut.

Cook County Hospital, postcard view, ca. 1915

23 July 2003
During a hearing before the Cook County Board, a group of Chicago real estate developers dismissed naysayers and expressed confidence that an economically feasible plan to save and redevelop the historic Cook County Hospital is possible. "From a planning perspective I know that this building, the main building, can be converted for residential uses and other uses as well," said David Haymes of the Pappageorge/Haymes Ltd. planning firm. "This is an incredibly wonderful opportunity for the city to save a very major and unique piece of architecture... and I think we should give it a chance." The board, however, remains split over the hospital's future. County Board President John Stroger backs demolition and the county officials have advertised for bids to begin tearing down the old hospital later this year. Nevertheless, a majority on the board appear willing to entertain developers' proposals, at least for the time being, and have agreed to allow developers to inspect the building sometime in August. Cook County Hospital was built in 1914.

1 July 2003
The Chicago Tribune reported that the Hinsdale Theater Foundation has abandoned its efforts to take over lease payments and attempt to restore the historic Hinsdale Theater at 31 East 1st Street in west suburban Hindale, Illinois. The group had secured $4 million in pledges toward the project, but were unable to obtain a loan to cover construction costs until the pledges were received. The theater was built in 1925.

Avalon Theater Building, 1989

25 June 2003
The Tribune reported that the former Avalon Theater, currently operated as the New Regal Theater, will close at the end of the month. The theater's owners, Edward and Bettian Gardner, founders of Soft Sheen Products, said they were no longer willing to bankroll the money-losing theater. "We just cannot continue," Edward Gardner told the Tribune. "We're between the devil and the deep blue sea. The city won't allow us to sell the theater and they won't help us run it." He accused the city of slighting the theater because of its South Side location: "Two owners of the Chicago Theatre have been bailed out by the city. The city is very kind to the people downtown." The Gardners hope to sell the theater, perhaps to a church. If they do so, however, the city may demand repayment of a $1 million grant they received in 1987 with the stipulation that the theater remain a performing arts venue. The Gardners want the city to forgive the loan and allow the theater to be used for other purposes. Arnold Randall, deputy commissioner in the Chicago Department of Planning and Development, told the Tribune: "We're open to other opportunities with the Gardners and this theater. We don't think there is anything wrong with churches. We just don't believe that to be the highest and best use for this historic building." Located at 1645 East 79th Street, the Avalon was designed by renowned movie theater architect John Eberson and opened in August 1927.

24 June 2003
Citing agreements made with the city and state, Cook County Board President John Stroger reaffirmed his determination to demolish the historic Cook County Hospital during a committee meeting. In recent months, preservationists, citizen groups, and several members of the Cook County Board have criticized the county's plan to demolish the building without first investigating the feasibility of a private redevelopment project. Next Monday, commissioners are expected to vote on a resolution calling for a hearing before the Board in which developers would be given the opportunity to float proposals to rehab the structure. Cook County Hospital was built in 1914 and is one of the oldest existing public hospital buildings in the nation. The structure has been unoccupied since the opening of a new Cook County Hospital building in December 2002.

Chicago Theater, June 2003

14 May 2003
The city of Chicago selected TheaterDreams Chicago, a for-profit group led by Lawrence J. Wilker, the former president of the Playhouse Square Center in Cleveland and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., as the new owner and operator of the historic Chicago Theater (more info). As part of the deal, TheaterDreams Chicago paid $3 million for the theater and the city will write off its $21 million loan to the theater's previous owners, on which they had defaulted. According to the Tribune, "Wilker said no definite programming decisions have been made, but the theater planned to present a season of touring Broadway shows, popular music, dance, gospel shows and jazz musicians." The Chicago Theater opened in 1922 as part of the Chicago-based Balaban & Katz chain of movie palaces.

30 March 2003
The Rainbo Roller Rink at 4836 North Clark, part of historic Rainbo Gardens (more info) entertainment complex, closed for business, following a final adults-only, late-night skating session. The building's owner, Vicor Development Inc., plans to demolish the roller rink and build a condominium complex on the site. Restauranteur Fred Mann opened the original Rainbo Gardens night club and outdoor dance garden in 1922.

14 March 2003
The Tribune reported that officials at the Chicago planning department have narrowed the list of potential buyers of the Chicago Theater (more info) to two: TheaterDreams Chicago, a for-profit group led by Lawrence J. Wilker, the former president of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.; and the Chicago Theatre Alliance, a joint venture of the Chicago Association for the Performing Arts, Jam Productions, and Broadway in Chicago, an offshoot of global media giant Clear Channel Worldwide Inc., which controls over 1200 radio stations and 35 television stations in the United States and has is currently under criticism for using its stations to organize rallies in support of war against Iraq. The two groups are scheduled next week to make separate presentations before the planning department committe that will select the winning bid. The city has not disclosed the purchase price offered by each group for landmark theater.

28 February 2003
The Tribune reported that Greenfield Partners LLC has purchased Evanston's Orrington Hotel from a subsidiary of Cigna Corporation, possibly with the intent of converting at least part of the historic hotel into condominiums. The Orrington, located at 1702 Orrington Avenue, opened in 1924.

1 February 2003
Demolition of the historic Plymouth Hotel and renovation of the adjacent Loren Miller/Goldblatt's (more info) and Sheridan Trust and Savings Bank buildings in Uptown has begun. As part of a $24.3-million redevelopment project recently dubbed "Uptown Square," J. Freed and Associates will replace the Plymouth Hotel with a two-story mixed-use structure and renovate the other two buildings for commerical and residential use.

24 January 2003
Cook County Circuit Court judge Sophia Hall denied a petition to issue a temporary restraining order against the impending demolition of historic Plymouth Hotel by its owner, developer Joseph Freed and Associates. An Uptown community organization, Broadway Terrace Development Corporation, filed the petition as part of a law suit against the city and the developer, claiming that the organization's proposal to redevelop the hotel and adjacent Loren Miller/Goldblatt's (more info) and Sheridan Trust and Savings Bank buildings had not received a fair review by city planning officials.

10 December 2002
The Chicago Community and Development Commission approved a request for $6 million in tax increment financing assistance for a proposed $29.9 million project to renovate the former Majestic Theater, now known as the Shubert Theater, and convert the building's upper floors into a boutique hotel. Opened in 1906, the Majestic Theater is located at 22 West Monroe Street in the Loop.

10 December 2002
The Chicago Community and Development Commission gave its approval to a proposal drafted by the city planning department to acquire the Riviera Theater (more info) at 4746 N. Racine Avenue in Uptown. According to newspaper reports, the city has no immediate plans to acquire the theater--no funds exist to do so--but rather hopes to convince the Riviera's current owner, Lou Wolf, into selling the theater to new owners committed to its renovation and continued operation as an entertainment venue. The commission's decision gives the city the authority to force Wolf to sell if he refuses.

5 November 2002
The Tribune reported that three investor groups have submitted proposals to purchase and operate the historic Chicago Theater (more info), which fell into receivership in August when its previous owner, Chicago Theatre Restoration Associates, defaulted on a $21 million loan from the city. A planning department committee is expected to nominate the winning proposal within a few weeks.

23 September 2002
At least five propane tanks on the roof of the Carson, Pirie, Scott department store at State and Madison Streets in the Loop exploded just before midnight, sending smoke and flames into the night sky and startling guests at the nearby Palmer House hotel. Several workers were on the roof at the time of the explosions, but none were seriously injured. The fire did not spread beyond the roof, although several offices on the upper floors of the fifteen-story structure suffered water damage. The store was not damaged and opened for business as usual at 9:45 a.m. the next morning.

8 September 2002
The Tribune reported that the Chicago City Council had approved plans for the redevelopment of the historic Loren Miller/Goldblatt's (more info) and Plymouth Hotel buildings in Uptown. As part of the $24.3-million project, developer J. Freed and Associates will convert the upper floors of the Goldblatt's building into condominiums and restore the ground floor to commercial use. At the same time, the developer will demolish the Plymouth Hotel and replace it with a two-story mixed-use structure.

Ramova Theater Building, September 2002

18 August 2002
The Tribune reported that the City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development plans to solicit proposals for the redevelopment of several commercial properties in Bridgeport, including the Ramova Theater at 3518 South Halsted Street. Although city officials say preference will be given to proposals that call for retaining the theater or its façade, preservation of the theater is not a condition for redevelopment and plans that call for the theater's demolition will be considered. Designed by architect Myer O. Nathan, the 1,100-seat theater opened 21 August 1929 with a showing of "The Desert Song," a film musical starring John Boles, Louise Fazenda, and a young Myrna Loy. The Ramova and adjacent retail stores cost $300,000 to build. The theater has been idle since the mid-1980s. (Read the DPD Request for Proposals.)

14 August 2002
The Tribune reported that the current owners of the historic Chicago Theater (more info), the Chicago Theatre Restoration Associations, may soon default on a $21 million loan from the city. If the organization defaults, the city would either have to write off the loss or try to recover part of the loan through sale of the theater. A probable buyer of the theater would be its current operator, the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts. Opened in 1921, the Jazz Age movie palace was restored in the late 1980s and is currently used as a live-performance and concert venue.

14 August 2002
According to the Tribune, the Broadway Theater at 3175 North Broadway, will reopen this fall as a live-performance venue. The theater will be renamed the Lake Shore Theater, as it was originally named. Built in 1914, the long-time movie theater closed in 2000.

26 July 2002
The Tribune reported that television station WBBM is planning to move out of its historic studios at 630 North McClurg Court in the Streeterville neighborhood. Built in 1924 as a horse stable, the structure was later converted to a multi-purpose sports and convention facility known as the Chicago Arena (not to be confused with another Chicago Arena, built in 1916 at 5917 North Broadway). Over the years, the Arena hosted ice shows, rodeos, spiritual rallies, and at least one anti-war protest by the isolationist America First Committee in 1941, prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. WBBM purchased the building in 1956 for almost $1.3 million and was the site of the first presidential debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon in 1960. If WBBM relocates, real estate observers expect the property would be sold for redevelopment and the building demolished.

7 July 2002
The Esquire Theater, located at 58 East Oak Street in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood, may soon be sold, according to a report in the Tribune. Developer Mark Hunt reportedly has signed a contract to purchase the art deco movie theater for about $13.5 million. Although Hunt stated that he intends to keep the theater open, sources familiar with the deal told the newspaper that the theater will likely be replaced by an upscale hotel-condomimum project. Opened in 1938, the Esquire was subdivided into six theaters in 1990 and is currently owned by a partnership of the Ruttenberg and Supera families. The Chicago City Council voted down landmark designation for the theater in 1994.

22 June 2002
The City of Chicago has selected the Mills Corporation from among four finalists to plan and manage the redevelopment of Block 37 in the Loop. Known locally for its Gurnee Mills Mall in Lake County, Illinois, Mills' plans for Block 37 include an "international marketplace" and high-end retailing space, perhaps including a branch of London-based department store Harrods. The new development will be named 108 N. State. Two historic movie palaces, the Roosevelt Theater (more info) and the United Artists Theater (more info), Hillman's department store, the legendary Bensinger's billiards and bowling center, and several other structures once occupied Block 37. Despite the objections of preservationists, the movie palaces, along with the other structures, were demolished over ten years ago to make way for redevelopment that has yet to move beyond the planning stages. (Read the DPD press release.)

13 June 2002
The Tribune reported that Uptown Theatre and Center for the Arts, a non-profit group looking to purchase and restore the 77-year-old Uptown Theater, has hired Mark Zipperer as its new CEO. Zipperer is a former employee of Arthur Andersen, the accounting firm currently alleged to have obstructed federal investigations into the collapse of Houston-based Enron Corporation. The group's former CEO, Michael Morrison, resigned his post in April after the Illinois attorney general's office filed a civil suit against him for misappropriation of funds.

27 May 2002
The historic Ambassador West Hotel, 1300 North State Parkway, will close in 13 June 2002, according to the Sun-Times. The 225-room hotel, which has struggled in recent years to compete against newer upscale Michigan Avenue hotels, will be converted into thirty-six luxury condominiums. Built in 1924, the Ambassador West and its cohort, the Ambassador East at 1301 North State Parkway, have been the scene of numerous celebrity gatherings, New Year's celebrations, and other gala nighttime festivities. For many years, the hotel was owned by Chicago's Beifield family, one-time operators of the Bismarck Hotel, Bismarck Gardens, and White City amusement park.

27 April 2002
The Tribune reported that the Illinois attorney general's office has filed a civil complaint against Michael J. Morrison, head of the Uptown Theatre and Center for the Arts, a non-profit group that has had difficulty lining up support for its plans to restore the 77-year-old Uptown Theater. The complaint alleges that Morrison gave himself unauthorized salary increases and used a credit card billed to the group to make personal purchases. The group's bank accounts, including what remains of a $1 million donation by philanthropist Albert Ivar Goodman, have been frozen until the legal issues are resolved. These developments follow Morrison's failure to line up theater companies to use the theater, or to gain the confidence of other key players, such as local alderman Mary Ann Smith or the volunteer members of the long-standing Friends of the Uptown group.

10 April 2002
Sun-Times columnist David Roeder reported that a deal to sell and demolish the Rainbo Roller Rink, part of the historic Rainbo Gardens entertainment complex, will not go forward as previously announced. Current owners Sapphire Development LLC, however, still hope to either sell the property (for $6 million) or redevelop it themselves.

4 April 2002
The Hyde Park Herald reported that the Hyde Park Theater at 5238 South Harper Avenue, formerly known as the Harper Theater, has closed permanently. The theater, built in 1914, has been closed for about a month. Owners Alicia and Donzell Starks cited plumbing problems, delayed plans for a neighborhood parking structure, and competitive pressures within the motion picture industry as reasons for the decision. for the decision to close the theater. The future of the building, according to the paper, is uncertain.

13 March 2002
According to neighborhood newspaper Inside, the city planning department recently received an alternate set of plans for the redevelopment of the historic Loren Miller/Goldblatt's and Plymouth Hotel buildings in Uptown. Initial plans for the site called for the demolition of the Plymouth Hotel building and provided far fewer low-income residences than desired by many neighborhood activists. The alternate plan calls for restoring the Plymouth Hotel building as low-income residences. City planners say they will review the plans and meet with developers in a few weeks.

11 March 2002
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the Chicago Transit Authority is formulating plans to build a new "Circle Line" that would significantly expand 'L' service on the city's near west and near northwest sides. If built according to present plans, the new line would involve restoration of 'L' service along parts of the former Metropolitan West Side Elevated along Paulina Avenue between Van Buren and Milwaukee Avenues. Additionally, new track, either elevated or underground, would be constructed along Ashland Avenue south of 20th Street, along a rapid transit alignment first proposed in the 1920s.

5 March 2002
The Chicago Tribune reported that Uptown Center for the Arts, recently organized to renovate and operate the historic Uptown Theater, will be questioned this week by a major benefactor, Albert Ivar Goodman, about the disposition of more than $1 million he has donated to the group in the last year. Promotional materials for the organization state that restoration will be completed by November 2003, but theater companies have reportedly been reluctant to sign up to perform in the one-time movie palace. Goodman plans to donate an additional $1 million to the restoration effort if Uptown Center for the Arts shows that it has raised at least $3 million.

13 February 2002
Sale of the Rainbo Roller Rink at 4836 North Clark, part of historic Rainbo Gardens entertainment complex, was confirmed by Inside. The new owner, Vicor Development Inc., plans to construct more than one hundred condominiums on the site. Rainbo Gardens was developed by local restauranteur Fred Mann in 1922.

7 February 2002
The Commission on Chicago Landmarks recommended landmark designation for Union Station and endorsed plans to add an eighteen-story tower to the building. The historic train station opened in 1925. Its passenger concourse and train sheds were demolished in 1969, but the adjacent office building and Great Hall waiting room remain in use and underwent extensive renovations in 1992. The proposed addition conforms to original plans for the building.

20 January 2002
The Chicago Tribune reported that city planners are in the process of obtaining final approval for the creation of a 94-block tax increment financing zone that includes the historic 47th and South Parkway retail and entertainment district. The TIF district has been designed to provide economic incentives for new residential and commercial development in the area. As part of the plan, the city will gain the power to purchase the historic but vacant Rosenwald Apartment complex at 46th Street and Michigan Avenue.

9 January 2002
North Side newspaper Inside reported that Vicor Developers, Inc., has reached a deal to purchase the historic Rainbo Gardens complex, including the 22-year-old Rainbo Roller Rink at 4836 North Clark Street. The sale is expected to be finalized by the end of March. The developer plans to demolish the existing structures and build a mix of commercial and residential structures on the site.

31 December 2001
Uptown residents rallied in protest against plans to convert the former Loren Miller/Goldblatt's department store and adjacent Leland Hotel, both disused, into condominiums, the Chicago Tribune reported. The protesters included members of the Community Of Uptown Residents for Affordability and Justice (COURAJ). The formal redevelopment proposal by Joseph Freed and Associates was expected to go before the Chicago Community Development Commission in January 2002.

December 2001
WTTW reported that a developer plans to purchase and demolish the historic Rainbo Gardens on Clark Street near Lawrence Avenue. Demolition and construction of new residences on the site were expected to begin before the end of 2002.

7 December 2001
Demolition of the Peoples Theater, 1620 West 47th Street, has been completed. The theater, which opened in 1919, was designed by famed Chicago architects George and C.W. Rapp. It featured a classical moderne façade and was a familiar landmark of the Back of the Yards neighborhood.

17 October 2001
The Chicago Tribune reported that developer Joseph Freed & Company has purchased the historic Carson Pirie Scott department store building from Saks Incorporated of Birmingham, Alabama. The building, located at State and Madison Streets in the Loop, was built in 1904. and designed by renowned Chicago architect Louis Sullivan. Freed & Company plans to renovate the upper floors of the building for use as offices, as well as part of the structure's landmark exterior. Carson's has agreed to complete a $17 million renovation of the store as part of the deal.

27 July 2001
Prospects for the restoration of the historic Uptown Theater brightened with the announcement that arts philanthropists Albert and Maria Goodman, on behalf of the Edith-Marie Appleton Foundation, have made a $1 million gift to support the activities of the newly organized Uptown Theatre and Center for the Arts not-for-profit organization. A press release stated that the donation would be used to help "kick off the campaign for the restoration" of the theater.

21 June 2001
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the city of Chicago has decided to retake control of Block 37, the mostly vacant Loop property bounded by State, Randolph, Dearborn, and Washington Streets. The move followed the collapse of an April 2000 deal between the city and developers that would have used city money to help finance the construction of a hotel, condominium tower, and department store on the site. Once it regains ownership of the property, the city plans to request new proposals for its redevelopment. Two historic movie palaces, the Roosevelt Theater and the United Artists Theater, Hillman's department store, the legendary Bensinger's billiards and bowling center, and several other structures once occupied Block 37. Despite the objections of preservationists, the movie palaces, along with the other structures, were demolished over ten years ago to make way for redevelopment that has yet to move beyond the planning stages.

23 May 2001
The renovated former Boston Store department store along Madison Street between State and Dearborn reopened as a Sears store.

1 April 2001
The renovation of the former Boston Store department store along Madison Street between State and Dearborn has progressed to the point of the installation of interior light fixtures and the framework for three new canopies. Completed in 1917, the structure housed the store until it closed in 1948, followed by a mix of offices and ground-level retailers. Current plans are for a Sears store to occupy the lower floors of the structure once the renovation is completed later this spring.

Boston Store Building, March 2001

20 March 2001
For the second time in five years, the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois placed the Uptown Theater on its annual list of the state's "Ten Most Endangered Historic Places."

1 November 2000
The Sun-Times reported that the city will ask the Commission on Chicago Landmarks to grant the Biograph Theater and Wrigley Field landmark status, which would protect the exterior of both structures from unapproved demolition. Both the theater, best known as the site where gangster John Dillinger met his demise, and the stadium were built in 1914.

20 September 2000
Neighborhood newspaper Inside reported that the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council has granted preliminary approval for the creation of a National Historic District that would include several Uptown landmarks, including the Uptown Theater, the Green Mill Lounge, the Aragon Ballroom, and the former Loren Miller/Goldblatt's department store complex. The proposal, backed by the Uptown Community Development Corporation, must eventually be approved by the State Historic Preservation Officer and the Keeper of the National Register at the U.S. Department of the Interior for the historic designation to become official. Such a designation would protect the structures from demolition and provide tax incentives for their preservation and redevelopment.

3 August 2000
The Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune reported that the Chicago Landmarks Commission has granted temporary landmark status to the Congress Theater, 2135 North Milwaukee Avenue, after concerns were raised that a developer had plans to purchase and demolish the building. Temporary landmark status prohibits structural alterations or demolition of the theater for one year, unless approved by the landmarks commission. During that time, the commission will consider whether or not the theater should be granted permanent landmark status. Local alderman Billy Ocasio, who did not initially voice strong support for preserving the theater, has since stated that he would be interested in seeing the theater transformed into a Latino performing arts theater.

26 July 2000
A new organization, Friends of the Congress Theater, has been formed to save the Congress Theater from the wrecking ball. The vaudeville and motion-picture theater, located at 2135 North Milwaukee Avenue, opened in 1926 as part of the Lubliner and Trinz theater circuit and is one of the city's last remaining neighborhood movie palaces. An option to purchase the property was recently reached between the theater's current owners and a developer who plans to tear down the building and replace it with a condominium complex. Friends of the Congress Theater are seeking landmark status for the Congress and would prefer to see the theater sold to a developer who would maintain the theater as a community asset. To learn more or give your support in the preservation campaign, contact Friends of the Congress Theater at savethecongress@hotmail.com or 312.498.5775.

25 May 2000
Demolition has begun on Evanston's Coronet Theater on Chicago Avenue near Main Street.

17 April 2000
The city of Chicago announced today that final agreement has been reached with developers to construct a large retail and condominium project on Block 37 of the Loop. Despite objections by preservationists, two historic movie theaters, the Roosevelt Theater and the United Artists Theater were demolished more than ten years ago to clear the site for redevelopment. Block 37 is bounded by State, Randolph, Dearborn, and Washington Streets, and in recent years has been home to a student art workshop and a wintertime ice skating rink.

31 March 2000
Movies have returned to the Century Shopping Center, formerly the Century Theater, on Clark Street just north of Diversey. Renovation work began in late 1998 (see below) and included a refurbishing of the Century's historic Arabesque façade, the only surviving part of the 1924 movie palace.

12 January 2000
The News-Star neighborhood newspaper reported that the 82-year-old Davis Theater at 4614 N. Lincoln Avenue is under contract for purchase by Special Real Estate Services, a local real-estate company. Although the future of the theater remains clouded, company officials affirmed their desire to keep the theater open, much to the relief of local residents and Lincoln Square alderman Eugene Schulter. Last month, area residents expressed their opposition the sale of the theater, concerned that developers would close the theater and replace it with condominiums.

19 October 1999
The Chicago Tribune reported that the $20-million restoration of the 73-year-old Palace Theater at 151 West Randolph Street is nearing completion. According to a theater press release, the former vaudeville and motion-picture theater will be open to the public for tours on Sunday, 7 November 1999, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

14 June 1999
The National Trust for Historic Preservation named Chicago's Pullman Company Administration Building and Factory Complex as this year's eighth most endangered historic site in the United States.

28 May 1999
The Chicago Tribune reported that the city of Chicago has agreed to purchase and demolish the historic but aging International Ampitheater at Halsted and 42nd Street in the old Stockyards district. Built in 1934, the International Ampitheater has hosted livestock shows, sports events, concerts, and other large gatherings, including the contentious 1968 Democratic National Convention. The city plans to redevelop the site for industrial uses.

26 April 1999
The Chicago Tribune reported that, in response to public outcry, the city and the Chicago Landmarks Commission are looking for ways to preserve all or part of the Medinah Temple at Ohio and Wabash. The Shriners, owners of the building, announced last fall that an agreement had been reached with a condominium developer to purchase and demolish the 1912 structure.

7 April 1999
The Chicago Tribune reported that construction is underway on the Lou Rawls Theater and Cultural Center at 47th Street and King Drive, on the site where the famed Regal Theater once stood. Groundbreaking on the project was delayed when it was determined the soil was too soft to support the building as first designed. Construction is expected to be completed by the fall of 2000.

18 November 1998
Neighborhood newspaper Inside reported that Goldblatt's plans to close its Uptown store by the end of the year. Goldblatt's has occupied the site since 1931, when it purchased the Loren-Miller department store, former occupant of the building.

31 October 1998
The Chicago Tribune reported that the Chicago chapter of the Shriners have contracted to sell the venerable Medinah Temple to a developer who plans to raze the auditorium at Wabash and Ohio and put up a retail and condominium complex. Built in 1912, the Moorish-style building has hosted hundreds of community functions over the years. The organization attributed their decision to sell the building to the soaring costs of maintenance and declining Shriner membership.

13 October 1998
Mayor Daley and a gathering of dignitaries, reporters, and members of Chicago's theater community officially re-dedicated the Oriental Theater today, thus completing a year-long renovation of the 1926 movie palace. The theater will be open to the public for tours on Sunday, 18 October, and performances of the restored theater's first show, "Ragtime," will begin about a week later.

7 October 1998
According to the weekly News-Star, the Edgewater Development Corporation, as part of the organization's on-going efforts to redevelop the historic Bryn Mawr business district, has set the restoration of the Bryn Mawr Theater as one of its long-term redevelopment goals. The theater, built in 1910, is located at 1125 W. Bryn Mawr.

25 August 1998
Demolition has begun on the Broadway Strand Theater at 1641 W. Roosevelt Rd. The theater, which has gone unused for many years, opened in 1917.

5 August 1998
The weekly newspaper Inside reported that renovation work will soon begin on the Century Shopping Center on Clark Street just north of Diversey. One goal of the project will be to refurbish the historic Arabesque façade of the old Century Theater that was preserved when 1924 movie palace was demolished to make way for the seven-story mall. Ironically, the mall's owners, Hiffman Shaffer Associates, Inc., also plan to convert the mall's top two floors into a new, seven-screen cineplex.

8 July 1998
During a press tour, Livent Inc. vice chairman Garth Drabinsky announced that the $32 million-dollar renovation of the Oriental Theater on Randolph Street is moving along according to plans. The former movie palace, which opened in 1926, is scheduled to reopen on 27 October 1998.

4 April 1998
The Chicago Tribune reported that a developer has proposed demolishing the former Tribune Building on the southeast corner of Dearborn and Madison Streets to make way for a new skyscraper comparable to the Sears Tower in height. The most popular feature of the Tribune Building during the early twentieth century was its electronic message board, which displayed scrolling news bulletins, election returns, and sports scores for passers-by. During the baseball World Series in October 1907, for instance, fans of the Chicago Cubs jammed Dearborn Street to receive play-by-play updates as their side took on the Tigers in Detroit.

2 April 1998
The Chicago Defender reported that the Chicago City Council has approved $4 million to help fund the first phase of construction on the Lou Rawls Theater and Cultural Center at 47th Street and King Drive. The theater, which will occupy the site of the legendary Regal Theater, is backed by the not-for-profit Tobacco Road Inc. and singer Lou Rawls. Local alderwoman Dorothy Tillman expects the theater will serve as an anchor for a revitalized blues district along 47th Street.

1 April 1998
The Chicago City Council designated the Allerton Hotel, located on the northeast corner of Michigan Avenue and Huron Street, a landmark, which will reduce the hotel's property tax rate. The deal will apparently save the hotel from demolition and enable its new owners, Bristol Hotel Company of Dallas, Texas, to go ahead with a $41 million renovation project. The Allerton, which opened in 1924, was one of the city's most fashionable residential hotels during the Jazz Age and its rooftop club, the Tip Top Tap, was a popular night spot.

10 December 1997
The city of Chicago began demolition of the Metropolitan Theater, a neglected and badly delapidated South Side movie house. The theater, built in 1916, was located at 4644 South Parkway, or what is now King Drive. Neighborhood efforts to preserve the structure failed for lack of funds and suitable reuse options.

21 October 1997
The Chicago Tribune reported that Robert Morris College plans to open a new campus in the former Sears Roebuck and Company store at State and VanBuren Streets following a $15 million renovation. The building, completed in 1891, was originally the home of the Siegel-Cooper department store.