Criterion Theatre

1222 N. Sedgwick Street,
Chicago, IL 60610

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Additional Info

Architects: George Otis Garnsey, Cornelius Ward Rapp, George W. Leslie Rapp

Firms: Rapp & Rapp

Previous Names: Sittner's Criterion Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Criterion Theatre with Sittner's on the left, circa 1912-1913 based on the license plates.

Located in the Near North Side neighborhood of Chicago, on N. Sedgwick Street, between W. Division Street and W. Scott Street, not far from Seward Park. Originally built and opened in 1881 and designed by architect George O. Garnsey with seating for 1,700. It was remodeled and reopened on July 1, 1893 as a vaudeville theatre.

Paul Sittner originally opened his first movie theatre on the third floor of a retail building at 335 W. North Avenue on the Near North Side in 1910. Sittner’s Theatre appears to have moved to a new larger space in the Criterion Theatre on N. Sedgwick Street by 1913 or 1914, and it was first advertised as Sittner’s Criterion Theatre until 1917. The theatre could seat 1,254, but seating was reduced to 1,050 by the time it closed in the early-1930’s. It was demolished in 1934 and the site became a car park. A Jewel Food Store (or more specifically, its parking lot) is on the site of the theatre today.

Contributed by Bryan

Recent comments (view all 2 comments)

Broan
Broan on October 25, 2015 at 12:01 pm

Rapp & Rapp may have worked on this theater. https://books.google.com/books?id=d1ZOAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA860&dq=theater+kohl+rapp&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CDMQ6AEwBGoVChMIl6Kj9aXeyAIVxmImCh3APwyf#v=onepage&q=theater%20kohl%20rapp&f=false

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on November 13, 2017 at 10:30 am

Photo of the Criterion Theatre with Sittner’s added, circa 1913 based on the license plates. Getty image.

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