It certainly doesn’t look like it ever cost that much. If it’s the building I think it is, it’s 1-story, with a faux stone and brick facade, with a small terra cotta fragment on the side.
View link Here is the page on the condo development. One of the new businesses set to move in is a Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles, which I think is the first in Chicagoland. I think the theater will be destroyed (If nature hasn’t already) but it looks like the lobby will be restored.
Actually, the entrances are accessed from the building’s lobby, at either end of the building. The signs saying “world” and “studebker” are still visible, and sometimes you can faintly see into the theaters.
I actually just realized that the pictures on all those HAARGIS profiles, if you copy their location and ipen them on their own, are quite large. Same if you save them to disk. Whoops.
What is your source? There are stickers on the windows indicating the city licensing dept shut them down effictive June 20, and their website says it is a temporary closing. However the Burrows do have a history of abrupt closings.
The Three Penny is closed, at least temporarily. Large stickers reading ‘Business Closed By Order of City of Chicago 6-20-2006 Office of Business Affairs and Licensing’ are on the doors. The website says the closing is temporary.
They just finished removing the old marquee moments ago. One of the last lights to shine on Dillinger now sits in a dumpster. No word on whether they found the old marquee or not… in a sad note, the three penny across the street has been closed by the city as of 6-20. I would guess it’s a licensing issue. Their website says the closing is temporary.
I know pretty much all the Chicago-area theaters. Drop me an e-mail. Click on my name, and it will show my address. I’d be glad to talk all about them.
One thing i’ve never quite understood is why the Oriental’s marquee was replaced with a virtually identical model in the 50s. For reference, Here is the original marquee, and Here is the replacement. As visible in the 1932 picture, the ugly open-bulb sign over the window had been added quite early and there was a great redundancy with the same information on the vertical sign, attraction sign, and marquee. I think the current marquee captures the essence of the original pretty well. It also looks to me like the vertical sign is positioned a bit differently from the original.
Here’s what the background documentation section had to say:
“The balcony dramatically reveals not only the theater’s elaborate stage area but its original plaster sidewalls and their decorative molding, which have remained uncovered at this level but exist in a deteriorated condition. When the balcony was closed off by the suspended acoustical tile ceiling in the 1970s, it was left unheated and susceptible to water infiltration. As a result, large areas of the plaster walls are disintegrating at this level and some of the plaster has fallen, revealing the masonry wall behind. However, the balcony level retains many original features, including the projection room, many of the original red velour seats, wood double-doors on the sidewalls that lead to fire escapes, and paired metal floor vents for the air cooling system. Two original wall sconces are also extant at the balcony level, as are several original chandeliers that hang precariously from the ceiling.”
My guess is that House of Prayer just didn’t have the money for the roof repairs and the drop ceiling let them defer it…
Here is a profile from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency’s HAARGIS system. It includes some nice small pictures. Note that the National Register of Historic Places form identifies it as Spanish Revival. The National Register nomination form is VERY good reading; click on the Background Documentation link to see it.
The Woods was deemed eligible for the National Register of Historic Places before it was destroyed.
“Designed by Marshall and Fox, the Woods Theater (1917) is architecturally significant for its distinctive design and system of gothic-inspired detailing in which foliated friezes, clustered and twisted columns, and arched fenestration unify the 10-story Commercial-style office building and the adjacent low-scale theater structure. Historically, the office and theater facility is significant for its associations with the development of Chicago’s music publishing and performing arts industries in the early 20th century and its contribution to the identity of the Randolph Street area of downtown Chicago as "Tin Pan Alley” in the 1920s."
The church is called “Unity of Love M.B. Church”
It certainly doesn’t look like it ever cost that much. If it’s the building I think it is, it’s 1-story, with a faux stone and brick facade, with a small terra cotta fragment on the side.
The Meridian sign has since been removed from the building.
View link Here is the page on the condo development. One of the new businesses set to move in is a Roscoe’s Chicken & Waffles, which I think is the first in Chicagoland. I think the theater will be destroyed (If nature hasn’t already) but it looks like the lobby will be restored.
The Victory has been demolished for a long time now. The marquee read simply ‘V’. A Popeye’s now occupies the site.
Actually, the entrances are accessed from the building’s lobby, at either end of the building. The signs saying “world” and “studebker” are still visible, and sometimes you can faintly see into the theaters.
I actually just realized that the pictures on all those HAARGIS profiles, if you copy their location and ipen them on their own, are quite large. Same if you save them to disk. Whoops.
This article indicates that the marquee may be be added to the chicago history museum; therefore it will be a full replica installed.
No. Just the canopy (or underside). As I understand it, the sides and front were hauled off to White Way’s yard for inspection.
What is your source? There are stickers on the windows indicating the city licensing dept shut them down effictive June 20, and their website says it is a temporary closing. However the Burrows do have a history of abrupt closings.
Well, it’s not like they voluntarily closed.
The Three Penny is closed, at least temporarily. Large stickers reading ‘Business Closed By Order of City of Chicago 6-20-2006 Office of Business Affairs and Licensing’ are on the doors. The website says the closing is temporary.
They just finished removing the old marquee moments ago. One of the last lights to shine on Dillinger now sits in a dumpster. No word on whether they found the old marquee or not… in a sad note, the three penny across the street has been closed by the city as of 6-20. I would guess it’s a licensing issue. Their website says the closing is temporary.
I know pretty much all the Chicago-area theaters. Drop me an e-mail. Click on my name, and it will show my address. I’d be glad to talk all about them.
Here is a story about the work. Looks like they’re at least going to try fixing some historic features. I just don’t really even care anymore.
Here is a profile from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency’s HAARGIS system. It includes a small picture.
Here is a profile from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency’s HAARGIS system. It includes a small picture.
One thing i’ve never quite understood is why the Oriental’s marquee was replaced with a virtually identical model in the 50s. For reference, Here is the original marquee, and Here is the replacement. As visible in the 1932 picture, the ugly open-bulb sign over the window had been added quite early and there was a great redundancy with the same information on the vertical sign, attraction sign, and marquee. I think the current marquee captures the essence of the original pretty well. It also looks to me like the vertical sign is positioned a bit differently from the original.
I wonder why the IHPA site identifies the architect as JH Gernfeld. It looks like an unusual place.
Here’s what the background documentation section had to say:
“The balcony dramatically reveals not only the theater’s elaborate stage area but its original plaster sidewalls and their decorative molding, which have remained uncovered at this level but exist in a deteriorated condition. When the balcony was closed off by the suspended acoustical tile ceiling in the 1970s, it was left unheated and susceptible to water infiltration. As a result, large areas of the plaster walls are disintegrating at this level and some of the plaster has fallen, revealing the masonry wall behind. However, the balcony level retains many original features, including the projection room, many of the original red velour seats, wood double-doors on the sidewalls that lead to fire escapes, and paired metal floor vents for the air cooling system. Two original wall sconces are also extant at the balcony level, as are several original chandeliers that hang precariously from the ceiling.”
My guess is that House of Prayer just didn’t have the money for the roof repairs and the drop ceiling let them defer it…
Here is a profile from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency’s HAARGIS system. It includes a small picture.
Here is a profile from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency’s HAARGIS system. It includes small pictures.
Here is a profile from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency’s HAARGIS system. It includes some nice small pictures. Note that the National Register of Historic Places form identifies it as Spanish Revival. The National Register nomination form is VERY good reading; click on the Background Documentation link to see it.
Here is a profile from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency’s HAARGIS system. It includes a small picture.
The Woods was deemed eligible for the National Register of Historic Places before it was destroyed.
“Designed by Marshall and Fox, the Woods Theater (1917) is architecturally significant for its distinctive design and system of gothic-inspired detailing in which foliated friezes, clustered and twisted columns, and arched fenestration unify the 10-story Commercial-style office building and the adjacent low-scale theater structure. Historically, the office and theater facility is significant for its associations with the development of Chicago’s music publishing and performing arts industries in the early 20th century and its contribution to the identity of the Randolph Street area of downtown Chicago as "Tin Pan Alley” in the 1920s."