Comments from Life's Too Short

Showing 151 - 175 of 1,605 comments

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Lincoln Village 1-6 on Jul 29, 2012 at 8:22 am

I don’t understand all the activity that took place around this property: it closing, the parking lot being closed off, the Jewish Center supposedly converting it. Somehow it all seems kind of weird. Hopefully something good will come out of all this. Right now it must be a mess inside.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Luna Theatre on Jul 29, 2012 at 8:16 am

Paul: This never made it to C-O. I’ve heard the Will Rogers was closed in favor of their new Brickyard Cinema. In hindsight, considering the ghetto reputation of the Brickyard, they might have been better off with the Will. I think it did OK business and there was no crime problem that I am aware of.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Belpark Theatre on Jul 29, 2012 at 7:56 am

I am late to this discussion, and I haven’t read every comment. But here is my two cents: The Belpark has been positively serving the community as a bingo hall for many years. I really don’t know much about bingo. But it seems like people pay something to get in, play bingo and have a chance to win prize money, while at the same time socializing. That sounds like a good thing. I’d rather see this church take residence in a space that is currently vacant. In a city the size of Chicago there must be at least a few to choose from.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Oak Theatre on Jul 29, 2012 at 7:22 am

I remember going by on the El and seeing XXX on the marquee. Later I remember going by on the El and seeing concerts on the marquee. Then once I went by on the El and it was gone. Maybe it’s too bad the Oak couldn’t have hung on a few more years. I’ve heard that smaller concert venues are making money these days.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Wheaton Grand Theater on Jul 27, 2012 at 11:56 am

I never did understand why they had to stop doing concerts here. It seems like it was a reasonable business at least. That they didn’t continue with local shows while money was raised was always a question mark for me.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about DuPage Theater on Jul 27, 2012 at 11:48 am

It’s too bad that something better couldn’t have happened here. To my knowledge the property is still a grass lot. But at least there is some measure of peace in the community now.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Golf Glen - Exterior (Night) on Jul 27, 2012 at 11:42 am

Wow! This is what it looks like now?

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Cine Lounge at Niles on Jul 27, 2012 at 11:41 am

How soon we forget. The notion that Village Theaters ever existed completely slipped my mind. The fact that it was run like a criminal front operation probably has something to do with that.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Nortown Theater on Jul 27, 2012 at 11:36 am

There is still no new development on this property. Can anyone say: Pop goes the bubble?

In all fairness I’m not sure what future an aging, run down movie palace had in a middle class ethnic neighborhood. The end was probably just sped up by the real estate frenzy.

Whatever the eventual outcome it was sad to see it go.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Adelphi Theatre on Jul 27, 2012 at 11:24 am

I went by here a few weeks ago and was sorry to see that nothing has been done with the site. While this is a personal matter for us architecture fans it is not uncommon. There are unfinished projects from the boom all over Chicago. I remember going to the Adelphi in the late 80’s and early 90’s. It was kind of a dump at that point, and I’m sure the ten years after that didn’t help. But at least it filled the lot and was rented out for the occasional Bollywood film.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Palace Theatre on Jul 27, 2012 at 10:15 am

Interesting photo posted on this blog:

http://bowlinghistory.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/palace-bowl.jpg

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Ramova Theatre on Jun 17, 2012 at 8:04 am

The photo gallery shows this place to be in much better condition than I would have thought. Hopefully a plan goes through one of these days. The cooling of the real estate market makes this less likely. But it also means the building will probably continue to stand.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Raymond Theatre on May 25, 2012 at 7:12 pm

It still looks like they haven’t sold the condos, after pushing so hard to destroy the theatre. Ha ha. Nicely done morons.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Highland Park Theatre on May 17, 2012 at 6:25 pm

Too bad. I remember seeing Superman here, as well as the first Star Trek movie. Definitely childhood highlights. This might have been the best twinning I ever saw. They split the long auditorium front to back. Both were pretty good screening rooms.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Highland Park closes movie theater on May 17, 2012 at 6:22 pm

I happened to drive by here the other night for the first time in years. It was odd to see it dark. Growing up I saw many films at the HP.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Allen Theatre on Mar 14, 2012 at 4:51 pm

Holy shit. That really is desecration.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Joy Theater on Mar 9, 2012 at 10:16 am

Astonishing. After sitting for quite a while and then getting hit by Katrina I thought this place was a goner. Good things do happen.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Grove Theatre on Mar 6, 2012 at 3:24 pm

Fantastic photo Bryan. That’s the first one I’ve ever seen of it before it was a church.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Clermont Theatre on Mar 6, 2012 at 11:49 am

This was a Guitar Center for many years, well into the 90’s if not the 2000’s. You walked in on the lobby level, where there didn’t seem to be much visible ornament. Then you went down a short stairway to the main showroom. This was in the former auditorium, and the ceiling and sidewall decoration was still very visible. I don’t remember seeing the arch or organ screens, and as I recall the management offices were in that part of the building.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Cine Theatre on Mar 6, 2012 at 11:40 am

I’m also glad to see that they finally cleaned up the scar left by that glass brick tower.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Cine Theatre on Mar 6, 2012 at 11:39 am

Wow, I hadn’t realized this placed didn’t even make it twenty years.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Kings Theatre on Feb 29, 2012 at 7:03 am

Every time I think the topic is dead it comes back around, which suggests a real civic interest in getting this done. I also thought that the above-mentioned Oriental in Chicago would be eventually converted to offices, and I was positive the Bronx Paradise would be destroyed. There is a lot of red tape and planning involved in something of this magnitude. So it could sit for a long time with little evidence of progress. Of course, there is always the real possibility that a project like this can stall. But my hunch is that this one will be completed.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Kings Theatre on Feb 27, 2012 at 11:33 am

Your best bet is calling the office. When the Oriental was under construction in Chicago I arranged a tour through the management office. I had to sign a waiver and wear a hard hat. But they took me up on the scaffolding, and we walked across the auditorium right under the dome. It was pretty neat.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about McClurg Court Cinemas on Feb 25, 2012 at 2:38 pm

Brings back memories. This was such a great place to see a movie back in the day.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short commented about Chicago Theatre on Feb 17, 2012 at 5:10 am

I happened to be downtown Tuesday. It isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I still think it’s cheap to brand a traditional symbol of the city. But that is the way things have been going in the U.S. over the last ten years, and if it gets some cash flow for the theater you can’t complain too much.