Village Art Theatre
1548-50 N. Clark Street,
Chicago,
IL
60610
1548-50 N. Clark Street,
Chicago,
IL
60610
18 people
favorited this theater
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Here is the 2008 preliminary landmark designation archive. It describes the property and lists various additional history that may or may not have been in previous dead links. I happened across it looking up something else.
https://archive.org/stream/CityOfChicagoLandmarkDesignationReports/VillageTheatre_djvu.txt
I suspect the development that was to be built incorporating the Village Theatre facade either fell through or has been put on hold. The banners said Spring 2017, and one of them has blown over the top of the old marquee. Nothing has taken place except the vacancies on the North Avenue side. Elly’s Restaurant is still open.
First small ad as Gold Coast from January 14th, 1934 in the photo section. Also checked the Tribune from 1916.06.24 and found nothing on Page 15.
Somebody wrote to me and told me that the Germania Theatre might have opened on June 24, 1916; although he said that is unconfirmed. Does anyone out there know an exact date of the Germania’s opening? I can’t find any ads in the June 24, 1916 Tribune.
Thanks DavidZornig for the updates. Glad they decided not to tear down the theatre!
Here’s a 10/06/15 article about the project.
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/realestate/20151006/CRED0701/151009914/old-town-condos-go-on-the-market
The parapet restoration looks well-done.
I added my 10/08/15 photo of the marquee wrapped in the upcoming development’s advertisement.
The Village Theater may be haunted! Supposedly the last marquee posting occurred in 2007 when it closed, but early Friday morning after the stormy night ‘Bed Of Fear’ appeared above the boarded up doors. Later in the afternoon, the entire south side of the main marquee blew out flying past unsuspecting passersby before landing just short of W. Germania Place. Check it out if you’re in the area.
The Village in 1978: an artistic and financial success, according to Gene Siskel.
I hope they preserve it soon. I was just by there and the entire building is slanting noticeably to the right.
9/5/2013 9/6/2013 2013-1504 1548 N. Clark 100486552 Village Theater 42
Exterior: Remove and rebuilt 76 linear feet of 3' high parapet along Clark Street façade per Historic Preservation stamped plans dated 9/6/13.
Salvageable masonry to be retained and reinstalled. Any required new masonry to match historic size, color, texture and appearance. Masonry to be cataloged and evaluated per submitted plans. Historic Preservation staff to be notified to view and approve terra cotta samples prior to order and installation. No other work permitted with this approval.
I used to work there as a teen in 1966 when it was the Globe Theatre. I worked the box office; my boyfriend was an usher; my girlfriend worked the popcorn counter. The theatre was a little down-at-the-heels, but was the only movie theater around, except for the Playboy Theater on Dearborn.
I was actually told to document how many negro (term used then) customers bought tickets (!), but I secretly rebelled (made up lame excuses) and ignored this because I thought it was prejudiced even then. My boss (owner?) feared the neighborhood was “changing.” It was—-to a more upscale neighborhood, since Sandburg Village was still being completed.
Drove by it October 2013, still closed but still there.
yes, my link above would have to be of the ‘copy-to-clipboard-and-paste’ variety, and this’d be the first i’ve heard there’s no more ‘inside’ to the theatre! such a relief they got landmark status so a real-estate developer could capitoli$e on the theatre facade—all they ever really wanted.
Or CT could just go ahead fix this, since it’s been an issue for so long…
David; I “blue”-highlight the link. Copy it. Go to my e-mail. Press “Compose”. Paste link to my e-mail in the area in which I type up a letter. Send pasted link to myself. Click on link.
I have read in the past that the auditorium and interior of the theatre were already gutted prior to the landmark designation. So it’s only the facade that will be protected at this point. BTW readers will not be able to open the above link as it is posted. This has been an issue ever since CT changed their website design.
here is a link to activity at this building site by a real estate developer, and reading it it seems to affect the theatre or at the very least its facade:
http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/article/20131024/CRED03/131029836/residential-planned-near-historic-village-theatre#
my fear is given enough time this proposed new condo/high-rise corner development will in fact gobble up the gold coast (village) auditorium itself given the theatres' current dormant if rather sorry state. of course we have other clear examples of new residential (and other) re-development that retains only the original theatre facade for quaint decorative purposes
It is worth noting here that the landmark designation allows the demolition of the auditorium provided that the front facade and the store portion of the building, including rooflines, is restored.
View link
95th Anniversary this year for the Village.
Join the Facebook page!!! Village Theatre-Chicago.
I just went by the Village Theatre earlier tonight. They finally took off that sign on top of the marquee that said: “For Lease Summer 2006”. Now, there’s a new sign that reads: “For Lease 8000 square feet. Price Associates (312) 445-6300.”
Which means the original walls & ceiling may be encapsulated after all. That is good news.
I was in the Village a few months ago to see if I could reopen the theater. It has not been gutted. All seats are gone but the walls divding the theaters are still up.