Couldn’t say where that was, but there was never a Varsity in Chicago. It’s worth noting, however, that this is clearly NOT Chicago. So that Varsity is probably somewhere in the Midwest, perhaps WI or IL.
According to the Illinois Secretary of State, Visionary Theatres Incorporated began operations on 9/24/2008. The agent is listed as Dawn Russo of Bolingbrook.
Village Entertainment, meanwhile, was involuntarily dissolved on 9/12/08.
Well, landmarks aren’t supposed to be contingent on how well the properties are taken care of, it’s about their architectural, social, aesthetic, character or other significance, and how intact that is. And the Congress definitely retains a high degree of integrity. Any number of locally designated landmarks are literally falling down. Interior landmarking is still extremely rare for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the difficulty of regulation.
The only protection National Register protection provides is review if federal funding or permits are involved. The only way local landmarking applies protection to NRHP buildings is if there is some rule that any NRHP building automatically gets local landmarking status too.
The CVS is pretty universally reviled. CVS acted in bad faith and I think broke some laws in their renovation, and the fairly weak Chicago Landmarks Commission didn’t force them to fix it all the way. But I think you’d agree that’s still preferable to having a standard CVS on that corner.
It appears that the building is being transformed into space for a new realty office. Their website is www.bigshouldersrealty.com . The interior appears to be gutted; I couldn’t see inside well enough. But its lineage should be more obvious now.
Government facilities are tax exempt, as are non-profit entities. As for the building’s assessed value, records show that it was billed approximately 70,000 in taxes this year. Keep in mind that the owner owns a number of businesses and properties, and if this enterprise is losing money, he may be able to write it off on his income taxes.
What you say about hypotheticals is true. A private owner can also let not-for-profits use it and write it off as a donation in kind. And a village owned situation, as exists in many theaters, they certainly can use it for any purpose they see fit at any rate they see fit. Des Plaines did buy a storefront building two doors from the theater for future redevelopment not long ago. The vacant storefront there is currently being used for FEMA offices after the flooding.
Well, there’s only the two storefronts, and they don’t seem to have any trouble keeping them filled, actually – a Mexican restaurant and a Thai restaurant. And if the government owned it, what kind of taxes would be paid? The theater is barely used now and is up for sale for $3.7 million – I don’t expect it to sell any time soon. It is scheduled to hold another New Years show.
The Peoples Temple was also designed by prominent theater architect JEO Pridmore.
One of the stained glass windows is missing now.
It says “IRVING THEATER PROPERTY”. So obviously the building was named after the owner, and not the theater.
Here are a whole bunch more at the State-Lake: Life
Couldn’t say where that was, but there was never a Varsity in Chicago. It’s worth noting, however, that this is clearly NOT Chicago. So that Varsity is probably somewhere in the Midwest, perhaps WI or IL.
MLK Jr Drive was previously known as South Parkway and before that Grand Boulevard.
Yeah, I’m not sure it’s time yet to change the name, since Visionary Theatres is obviously a corporate name.
According to the Illinois Secretary of State, Visionary Theatres Incorporated began operations on 9/24/2008. The agent is listed as Dawn Russo of Bolingbrook.
Village Entertainment, meanwhile, was involuntarily dissolved on 9/12/08.
Well, landmarks aren’t supposed to be contingent on how well the properties are taken care of, it’s about their architectural, social, aesthetic, character or other significance, and how intact that is. And the Congress definitely retains a high degree of integrity. Any number of locally designated landmarks are literally falling down. Interior landmarking is still extremely rare for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the difficulty of regulation.
The only protection National Register protection provides is review if federal funding or permits are involved. The only way local landmarking applies protection to NRHP buildings is if there is some rule that any NRHP building automatically gets local landmarking status too.
The CVS is pretty universally reviled. CVS acted in bad faith and I think broke some laws in their renovation, and the fairly weak Chicago Landmarks Commission didn’t force them to fix it all the way. But I think you’d agree that’s still preferable to having a standard CVS on that corner.
The American Contractor Building Permit index indicates that it was started in 1912. Architect was E.M. Newman.
Northwestern owned the theatre until 1947.
I swung by there tonight. Apparently it will be a music venue and bar called Lincoln Hall run by the owners of Schubas. Should be cool.
The Congress recently repainted their marquee.
David, I’m not sure you’re entirely clear on how landmarking is supposed to work.
It appears that the building is being transformed into space for a new realty office. Their website is www.bigshouldersrealty.com . The interior appears to be gutted; I couldn’t see inside well enough. But its lineage should be more obvious now.
Correct. I’m about 95% sure it’s the same building. I chewed through the topic thoroughly at View link
Both are available through Proquest, but you would have to be a member of a library which subscribes to it.
Julian
Here is a 1948 photo from LIFE magazine.
Here is a 1948 photo from LIFE magazine.
That’s not the way facade easements are supposed to work, you’re not supposed to buy them back
They are not, since they’ve never showed film on a regular basis.
The Chopin? That’s listed here.
Government facilities are tax exempt, as are non-profit entities. As for the building’s assessed value, records show that it was billed approximately 70,000 in taxes this year. Keep in mind that the owner owns a number of businesses and properties, and if this enterprise is losing money, he may be able to write it off on his income taxes.
What you say about hypotheticals is true. A private owner can also let not-for-profits use it and write it off as a donation in kind. And a village owned situation, as exists in many theaters, they certainly can use it for any purpose they see fit at any rate they see fit. Des Plaines did buy a storefront building two doors from the theater for future redevelopment not long ago. The vacant storefront there is currently being used for FEMA offices after the flooding.
Well, there’s only the two storefronts, and they don’t seem to have any trouble keeping them filled, actually – a Mexican restaurant and a Thai restaurant. And if the government owned it, what kind of taxes would be paid? The theater is barely used now and is up for sale for $3.7 million – I don’t expect it to sell any time soon. It is scheduled to hold another New Years show.
It is listed under its current name, the Bank of America Theatre