via Time Out Chicago, by Kris Vire“This building isn’t just a building,” Governor Pat Quinn said at today’s ceremony marking the groundbreaking for Black Ensemble Theater’s new Uptown home. “It contains the hopes and dreams and visions of all kinds of people, who believe in music, who believe in art, who believe in Jackie Taylor.”
As Quinn and this afternoon’s other speakers—who included Mayor Richard M. Daley, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, aldermen Helen Shiller and Eugene Schulter and state senator Kwame Raoul, in addition to several Black Ensemble board members—repeatedly indicated, you should always believe in Jackie Taylor. The Black Ensemble Theater’s founder and executive director, who we named one of Time Out Chicago’s 40 cultural heroes in 2008, famously started her theater in 1976 with a $1,200 loan; today she broke ground on what will be a $16 million facility at 4450 N. Clark St, on what’s currently a pretty barren stretch of Clark between Montrose and Wilson. Continue Reading
UU Note: CBS2 and ABC7 both covered the groundbreaking as well
I don't think it's at 4540 N. Clark. That would put it above Sunnyside. Everything I've read says it's replacing that building next to the storage place. Maybe you meant 4450?
ReplyDeleteYeah, TimeOut got it wrong... it's 4440 and 4450 Clark, the "Lance" building and this building, that are going to be converted into the new BET complex.
ReplyDeleteI was at the ground breaking on Friday. The performances were top notch. I'm jazzed to see something like this coming to our neighborhood. Has anyone heard anything about time frame or what will happen to the old Hull House building?
ReplyDeleteThanks for catching my typo, UU readers. It's fixed in the original post at Time Out.
ReplyDeleteI hope this complex will include a parking facility not only for the theatre-goers but the general neighborhood as well. The patrons of Anna Maria's Pasteria and the Clark Street Boutiques, not to mention residents needing paid monthly parking spaces, will be forever grateful to Ms. Taylor et al!
ReplyDeleteI read it only will have a indoor parking garage for theatre and complex users only. Whatever the case may be it will be a great addition that should benifit our community greatly.
ReplyDeleteFor everyone who's excited to see this "coming" to Uptown -- you do realize that BET's been here for many years, at Hull House on Beacon south of Wilson, and you can see performances now, right?
ReplyDeleteAs for parking, there is valet parking for performances which take place at Hull House, which will remain active in the community, as it always has. BET has rented performance space there, but BET is hardly Hull House's only reason for existing.
Isn't the Lance building the site of the original Andes Mint factory? I recall reading an article about the founder and his family and being pleasantly surprised that the Andes Mint got its start in our 'hood, but I'm unsure exactly of the address.
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