The Congress Theater is a historic movie palace in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago. Fridstein and Company designed it in 1926 for the movie theater operator Lubliner and Trinz. It features ornate exterior and interior design work in a combination of the Classical Revival and Italian Renaissance styles. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.
In its heyday, the Congress Theater could seat over 2,904 moviegoers. The theater block also had 17 retail storefronts with 56 apartments above. More recently, the theater operated as a 3,500-capacity live music venue.
For years the building was a common and popular concert venue. In April 2013, the theater was shut down and had its liquor license revoked due to numerous safety code violations.[3] It was a source of controversy due to issues such as liquor violations, a notoriously tough security team, and lax building upkeep.[4]
In early 2014, Carranza announced he would sell the theater to developer Michael Moyer.[4] Moyer planned to spend $65 million restoring the theater, with the goal of reopening the Congress in 2019.[5] This plan, now under the ownership of Baum Revision, was approved by the City's Permit Review Committee in June, 2022 and by the full City Council on July 19, 2023. The budget is reported to be $88 million, including $27 million in Tax Increment Funding.[6]
^"National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
^"Congress Theater National Landmark Designation Report" (PDF). City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
^DiCrescenzo, Brent (May 24, 2013). "Congress Theater in peril as city revokes liquor license". Time Out Chicago. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
^ abDeRogatis, Jim (January 19, 2014). "Sale of Congress Theater pending". WBEZ. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
^Yerak, Becky (October 12, 2017). "With $65 million renovation soon underway, Congress Theater looks to reopen in 2019". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
^"Congress Theater Overhaul Back On Track?". 17 July 2023.
The CongressTheater is a historic movie palace in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago. Fridstein and Company designed it in 1926 for the movie theater...
iO, or iO Chicago, (formerly known as "ImprovOlympic") is an improv theater and training center in central Chicago, with a former branch in Los Angeles...
The Biograph Theater on Lincoln Avenue in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, was originally a movie theater but now presents live productions...
Newspapers. Library of Congress. Retrieved October 3, 2023. Cooke, Judy (2024). "Hospital built as memorial to Iroquois Theater victms". Archived from...
Steppenwolf Theatre Company is a Chicago theater company founded in 1974 by Terry Kinney, Jeff Perry, and Gary Sinise in the Immaculate Conception grade...
Def Leppard.[citation needed] In June 2006, Idol performed at the CongressTheater, Chicago, for the United States television series Soundstage. This...
year programming was handled by Dave Frey, who brought in Holiday Star Theater as a partner. In 1986 Walt and his team brought in Thunderdome Enterprises...
an improvisational comedy enterprise. It is the oldest improvisational theater troupe to be continuously based in Chicago, with training programs and...
originally known as the Balaban and Katz Chicago Theatre, is a landmark theater located on North State Street in the Loop area of Chicago, Illinois. Built...
School of Music, Theater and Dance. The members met while collaborating on plays through Basement Arts, the university's student-run theater organization...
2015). "Cadillac Palace owner leading $55 million restoration of CongressTheater". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 13, 2018. Carcione, Sandra Grant...
professional theater company located in Chicago's Loop. A major part of the Chicago theatre scene, it is the city's oldest currently active nonprofit theater organization...
The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives...
performing arts facilities, including the architectural prairie style Martin Theater. The Ravinia Festival attracts about 600,000 listeners to some 120 to 150...
performing arts organizations. In 2021, the Joffrey moved from the Auditorium Theater—where it had performed since 1998—to the Civic Opera House, as part of...
CIBC Theatre is a performing arts theater located at 18 West Monroe Street in the Loop area of downtown Chicago. It is operated by Broadway In Chicago...
Urge Overkill opened for Weezer at the Red Bull Riot Fest at the CongressTheater in Chicago. Urge Overkill had continued to perform live occasionally...
Civic Opera until its relocation to the Civic Opera House in 1929. The theater was home to the Joffrey Ballet from 1998 until 2020. It currently hosts...
Theatre CIBC Theatre (formerly The Shubert Theatre) CongressTheater Greenhouse Theater Center Harris Theater (Chicago) James M. Nederlander Theatre (formerly...
The Compass Players (or Compass Theater) was an improvisational theatre revue active from 1955 to 1958 in Chicago and St. Louis. Founded by David Shepherd...
Disorderly-Festival in Berlin. They also played Riot Fest in Chicago playing at the CongressTheater on 10/10/09 and headlined at the Metro on 10/11/09. They returned to...
dispute, Jam Productions fired the stagehands of the Riviera Theater. As of 2017, the Riviera Theater continues to serve as a venue for many popular acts, both...
have performed at the venue. "Rosemont mayor again pushes plan to sell theater to state". Chicago Tribune. 2008-06-04. Retrieved 2008-06-05. Ryan, Joseph...