“The historic Auditorium Theatre, designed by architects Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler in 1889, was recognized this year for its impressive restorations, which includes replicating Sullivan’s iconic gold stenciling that was painted over decades ago.
“The national and city landmark was presented the award at the League of Historic American Theatres’ annual conference, which is one of the largest gatherings in the industry. Notable past recipients of the award include New York’s City Center and Atlanta’s Fox Theatre.
“The historic Auditorium stood out among an impressive list of nominations to claim the award this year,” said Ken Stein, LHAT President and CEO. “Considering it is one of the great historic preservation projects in the nation, I am surprised it has taken us this long to bestow this award.”
“The 3,900-seat theater is known for its perfect acoustics and innovative architecture. The structure was almost lost after it went bankrupt and closed in 1941. A few years later, Roosevelt University saved the structure from demolition but kept it closed for two decades. In the 1960s enough money was raised to take on the massive restoration, what is now considered one of the largest historic preservation projects in the country.” (Freund, Curbed Chicago)
Read the full article at Curbed Chicago
Additional Reading
Auditorium Theatre Wins League of Historic American Theatres’ Outstanding Historic Theatre Award, Press Release, July 15, 2019