Venus Theater

Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen on May 6, 2012 at 6:34 am

Built in 1926, and showed movies till 1961, became retail, but don’t know how long it was abondaned before being bought in 1999 by Imani Community Development Corporation, Imani means faith in Swahilli, and the Development Corporation is affilated with the First Baptist Church of South Richmond. It is located in the Manchester Historic District, and Hull Street was like the second downtown. The Theater, a three-story mixed residential and commecial structure and two small single-story vacant retail structures have had had a $7.9 million “historic rehab” done to them making 68 apartments and first floor retail space.

It is a two story Classsical Revival-style building faced with cast stone and columns defining the bays. There is a stone horizontal superstructure with “VENUS” carved in the frieze and carved stone medillions below the cornice.

CT would welcome photos, past and present, inside and out, and more info.

DJA

Chief Bob Jensen
Manteno, Illinois

lostmemory on March 28, 2008 at 4:25 am

Here is another recent photo from different photographer.

lostmemory on March 22, 2008 at 7:39 pm

This is a recent photo of the Venus Theater building.