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Loop/Telenews Theatre Gets Temporary Stay of Demolition
posted by
abbyworld
on
October 13, 2003 at 8:22 am
CHICAGO, IL — This isn’t news, since this project has been going on since the first of August, but here it is anyway.
The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs has come up with an interesting plan for the long-dormant Loop (aka Telenews) Theatre on State and Randolph streets (current address is 8 E. Randolph). The building sits next to the legendary Chicago Theatre.
Five theatre companies will get rent-free use of the theatre and rehearsal space until April of 2004. However, in June of 2004 the entire block is scheduled to be demolished. This time it’s apparently a done deal, as a developer has been chosen and (I believe) there are plans to build a highrise on the site.
Further info can be found at the City of Chicago website. Go to the “Arts & Culture” section, then the “Theatre & Film” section, and you should find a link to the info.
aj
Comments (2)
Just FYI, unfortunately, this isn’t the former Loop/Telenews Theatre—it’s a former storefront which the City of Chicago website story refers to. The old Loop Theatre next to the Chicago Theatre is at 165 N. State Street and is now vacant.
Michael, the space referred to in that article above is just an old store front, it never was the Loop Theatre. However, the actual Loop/Telenews Theatre space, which was last used as an electronics shop and is now empty, is in the same building as the space that’s being called the “Loop Theatre”, just around the corner from a Walgreen’s which takes up much of the first floor retail space. There isn’t really anything left from what I’ve seen peeking inside the old theater space to salvage, but you can still see towards the back of the store where the floor slopes. I believe the entire two-story building is being demolished for the new development, which will include the highrise and retail on the ground floor (presumably with Walgreen’s moving back in, since they’ve been in the building since it was built in 1940).