“A potential groundbreaking date has been announced for the Congress Theater redevelopment in Logan Square. Located at 2135 N Milwaukee Avenue, the news comes as the Commission on Chicago Landmarks approves Class L tax incentives for the project. Chicago YIMBY last covered the project a year ago as it gained approval for TIF funds from the city.
“The redevelopment efforts are being led by developer Baum Revision and have been years in the making. Local firm Woodhouse Tinucci Architects worked on the design to revitalize the iconic theater that dates back to 1926. The 3,500-seat movie house originally contained apartments and retail, most of which have sat vacant since it closed in 2013.
“Now plans call for a full restoration of the theater as a performance venue operated by AEG for at least 10 years per city requirement, marking the first Chicago venue for the Los Angeles based company. This will include an extensive repair and restoration of the front facade, marquee, storefronts, interior historical features, and bringing the building up to code.
“The ground floor will also hold 13,000 square feet of restored retail spaces split into multiple store fronts. Of that, 75 percent of the space will need to be continuously occupied and leased to locally-owned businesses, community organizations, or local artists, with all the spaces offered at 75 percent of the local market rate per city requirement as of last year’s update.” (Achong, Chicago YIMBY, 12/12/24)
Preservation Chicago is pleased that the Congress Theater renovation project appears to be moving forward. We testified in support of the Class L Tax Incentives and have constantly advocated on behalf of this long neglected Chicago Landmark building.
The Congress Theater was designated a Chicago Landmark in 2002 in large part due to the strong advocacy and dedication of Preservation Chicago and Logan Square Preservation. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.
Over the past 20 years, Preservation Chicago and Logan Square Preservation have continued to advocate for its restoration and reactivation. There have been many challenges and false starts, but we are optimistic that this renovation effort will prove successful.
Read the full story at Chicago YIMBY
- Timeline Revealed For Congress Theater Redevelopment As Tax Incentives Are Approved, Ian Achong, Chicago YIMBY, 12/12/24
- Save Expiring City Funding; Ald. Daniel La Spata pushed through a proposal giving a developer more time to use $27 million in TIF funding for the ambitious project, drawing pushback from other community leaders, including Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, Mina Bloom, Block Club Chicago, 6/6/23
- City Council Revives Congress Theater Redevelopment Plan, Sets Up Key Votes To Advance $88 Million Project, The $88 million proposal was pulled out of the Rules Committee, which is considered legislative purgatory, after a labor agreement was reached between the theater operator and a local labor union, Mina Bloom, Block Club Chicago, 4/19/23
- As Congress Theater Crumbles, Developer Wants $27 Million From City To Revive Logan Square Gem; The price tag on the long-stalled project keeps going up, and the delays are getting longer — but developers say they’re still committed to overhauling and reopening the beloved venue, Mina Bloom, Block Club Chicago, 2/8/23
- Congress Theater Chicago Landmark Designation Report, August 2, 2000
- Writing a new chapter for Avalon Regal and Congress theaters; Redevelopment plans for the Congress and Avalon Regal theaters represent a big change in Chicago’s attitude toward its classic old theaters, Chicago Sun-Times Editorial Board, 3/9/22