Congress Theater facts for kids
The Congress Theater in 2008
|
|
| Address | 2135 N. Milwaukee Avenue Logan Square, Chicago, Illinois United States |
|---|---|
| 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 |
|
Congress Theater
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| 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 area of Chicago. It was once a grand movie theater, also known as a movie palace. Fridstein and Company designed it in 1926. It was built for movie theater owners Lubliner and Trinz.
The theater has beautiful designs inside and out. It mixes two old styles: Classical Revival and Italian Renaissance. Because of its history and beauty, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017. This list recognizes important places in the United States.
When it first opened, the Congress Theater could hold over 2,904 people for movies. The building complex also had 17 shops and 56 apartments above them. More recently, it became a popular place for live music concerts. It could hold about 3,500 people for these shows.
For many years, the Congress Theater was a well-known concert spot. In April 2013, the theater closed down. This happened because of problems with safety rules.
In early 2014, the owner announced plans to sell the theater. A developer named Michael Moyer planned to spend $65 million to fix up the theater. The goal was to reopen it. This plan was later taken over by a company called Baum Revision. The City's Permit Review Committee approved the new plan in June 2022. The full City Council also approved it on July 19, 2023. The total cost for the renovation is now about $88 million.
Key Moments in History
- The theater was named a Chicago Landmark on July 10, 2002. This means it's an important building for the city's history.
- In May 2008, the pop punk band Panic! At The Disco recorded a live album here. It was called ...Live in Chicago. This was the last album with their guitarist, Ryan Ross. The album came out in December of that year.
- In August 2008, another pop punk band, Paramore, recorded a live CD and DVD at the theater. It was titled The Final Riot!. This recording was released in November 2008. It earned awards in the US and Canada for its sales.
- On March 31, 2009, the TV show VH1 Storytellers filmed a part with the blues band ZZ Top at the Congress Theater. The show aired on June 27, 2009.
- As part of his New Year's Eve show in 2012, producer and DJ Rusko filmed a music video. It was for his song "Somebody to Love." This song was released by Diplo's record label, Mad Decent.
- On March 13, 2019, the Chicago City Council approved a big plan to fix up the Congress Theater. This plan also included building new homes nearby. The developer wanted to make the theater a 4,900-seat music venue. They also planned to add a small hotel with about 30 rooms. About 14 affordable rental apartments were also part of the plan. Plus, there would be about 16,000 square feet of space for restaurants and shops on the ground floor.
- On June 28, 2021, David Baum announced that his company, Baum Revision, took over the project. They are working to fix up the theater, apartments, and shops. They are using the plans that were already approved.
- In early December 2024, a city committee approved special tax help for the project. This means the project will get $6.2 million in tax savings over 12 years. Construction began in the first quarter of 2025. The goal is to finish the work by the end of 2026. Soon after the tax approval, workers started putting up safety fences on the roof. This was the first step in the restoration work.
Images for kids
-
Storm lobby of the theater
-
Jamiroquai performing at the Congress on October 30, 2005
