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 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.
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.
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, 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 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 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.
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