Congress Theater facts for kids
The Congress Theater in 2008
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| Address | 2135 N. Milwaukee Avenue Logan Square, Chicago, Illinois United States |
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| Coordinates | 41°55′12″N 87°41′32″W / 41.92°N 87.69222°W |
| Owner | New Congress LLC |
| Designation | National Landmark |
| Type | Mixed-use theater block |
| Capacity | 3500 |
| Current use | Closed for renovation |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1926 |
| Reopened | (projected) 2023 |
| Years active | 1926-2013 |
| Architect | Fridstein & Company |
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Congress Theater
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1925-1926 |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival, Italian Renaissance |
| NRHP reference No. | 160005792 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | January 6, 2017 |
The Congress Theater is a historic building in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago. It was designed in 1926 by Fridstein and Company. They built it for a movie theater company called Lubliner and Trinz. The theater has beautiful designs inside and out. It mixes styles like Classical Revival and Italian Renaissance. In 2017, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a very important historical site.
When it first opened, the Congress Theater was a huge movie theater. It could fit over 2,904 people! The building also had 17 shops and 56 apartments. Later, it became a popular place for live music concerts. It could hold about 3,500 fans for these shows.
History of the Congress Theater
The Congress Theater was a very popular concert spot for many years. However, in April 2013, the theater had to close. This was because it needed many repairs and upgrades to meet safety rules.
In early 2014, a developer named Michael Moyer planned to fix up the theater. He wanted to spend a lot of money to restore it. The goal was to reopen the Congress Theater in 2019. This plan later changed hands to a company called Baum Revision. The city of Chicago approved their new plans in 2022 and 2023. The current budget for the project is about $88 million.
Cool Moments and Milestones
- The theater was named a Chicago Landmark on July 10, 2002. This means it's a special building in Chicago.
- In May 2008, the band Panic! At The Disco recorded a live album there. It was called …Live In Chicago. This was the last album with their guitarist, Ryan Ross.
- In August 2008, another band, Paramore, recorded a live CD and DVD. It was titled The Final Riot!. This recording was very successful. It won awards in the US and Canada.
- On March 31, 2009, the TV show VH1 Storytellers filmed a segment. It featured the blues band ZZ Top at the Congress Theater. The show aired a few months later.
- In 2012, producer and DJ Rusko filmed a music video at the theater. It was for his song "Somebody to Love." This happened during his New Year's Eve performance.
- On March 13, 2019, the Chicago City Council approved a big plan. This plan was to redevelop the Congress Theater. It included making the theater a 4,900-seat music venue. It also planned for a small hotel with about 30 rooms. Plus, there would be 14 affordable apartments. The plan also added about 16,000 square feet of space for restaurants and shops.
- On June 28, 2021, a company called Baum Revision took over the project. They are continuing with the approved plans. They will fix up the theater, apartments, and retail spaces around it.
Gallery
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Storm lobby of the theater
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Jamiroquai performing at the Congress on October 30, 2005
