Wednesday, July 14, 2010

BET To Begin Construction On New Theatre This Fall

Black Ensemble Theater, whose long-time performance base has been Hull House at 4520 N Beacon, has been raising money for its own home over the past few years through a combination of public and private funding ... even passing the hat at performances! Now it looks like they've achieved it. Chicago Real Estate Daily writes, "Black Ensemble Theater expects to start work in September on a new home at 4450 N. Clark St. in Uptown, according to BidClerk.com. The $7-million development includes renovating an existing two-story building and construction of a new, 300-seat theater." To the left is the current state of the building, and below is a rendering of the new theatre by Morris Architects Planners, who apparently specialize in designing theaters and performance spaces.

What a great addition to Uptown and that stretch of Clark this new theater will be! (Not that you'd know it's in Uptown from the description on MAP's website. Not a mention of the "U-word." We are relegated to "midway between the popular Chicago neighborhoods of Wrigleyville and Andersonville." Tsk! Tsk!)

UU Note: The newest show at BET, Nothing But The Blues, an homage to South Side blues club Theresa's Lounge, has been getting great reviews. Check it out. (Can't beat the commute.)

13 comments:

  1. Another dilapidated building in uptown bites the dust. I am loving this new commerical/retail development push. Helping bridge the gap b/t Lakeview and Andersonville.

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  2. Hold on, I think I'm supposed to be an evil racist condo owner, yet I highly support this and think its great for the neighborhood. Man, sometimes its really confusing living in Uptown.

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  3. I think this is terrific too!

    And, make no mistake, this is in Shulter's ward ... not Shiller's.

    That would explain why we evil condo owners are getting something worthwhile!

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  4. Awesome guys!

    Looking forward to seeing some performing arts very close to home.

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  5. Fabulous news! Nice to hear good things happening for people who work for it.

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  6. Wouldn't it have been terrific if the BET could have built its new home at Wilson Yard? It would have been a tremendous addition to Broadway and a great incentive for sit-down restaurants to locate there as well. I guess that with the Movie Theater, Crate & Barrel, and Mixed Income Housing, there simply wasn't any room. Thank goodness the 47th Ward found space for them.

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  7. I think it's great the BET is getting a new home. This is a good use of $6 million of TIF money from the Montrose/Broadway TIF.

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  8. I'mWatchingToo is correct... west side of Clark is Schulter. I'm in 47 also, just up a few blocks on Clark, and I recently reached out Schulter's office about neighborhood representation and I was told that this stretch of Clark, from Lawrence to Montrose in Ward 47, is actually part of of the Ravenswood Neighborhood Association & Chamber of Commerce. So I wouldn't take offence to Uptown not being noted as the location, the Alderman doesn't call it Uptown either.

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  9. Cool, now if this creates some momentum to relocate wholesalers row out of that stretch of Clark that would be awesome!

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  10. Let me guess, HB...you're a man, right? Because I can assure you that a lot of women who live in the vicinity of "wholesale row" would be really, really sad if those businesses would have to pack up and leave rather than simply get a grant to renovate.

    I'm looking forward to the next few weeks when they get their autumn inventory. I could use a couple of new scarves and purses.

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  11. I don't know how the ladies find their scarves and purses. The general public is not even allowed to shop in half of wholesalers row, and the other half has their inventory strewn all over the floor. What a mess and a blight on the neighborhood.

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  12. "Strewn all over the floor?" Like the ladies' clothing depts. of Macy's, Carson's and other "nice" stores during the post-Christmas and mid-summer "sales events?"

    The bare-bones atmosphere (including open BOXES of "stuff") displayed on the floors) of So Good, Me Too, etc. are understood by the customrers to be the "trade-off" for bargain prices for stuff that will sell at the aforementioned mall-stores at twice to three times the price. (I speak from first-hand observational experience.)

    Threaten to shut down Clark St. and believe me, the enraged Red Hat Ladies (among others) who frequent those stores will raise a ruckus that will make Ms. Palin's "mama grizzlies" look like declawed tabbies!

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  13. Not shut down - relocate the whole block of them. There's been talk of it before. Think I'll call Schulter's office to see if I can get that on his radar again.

    I doubt there'll be much of a ruckus. Besides blighting the neighborhood, that block shuts down and becomes a barren and dangerous ghost town after 6pm. It'll be interesting to see the contrast of the new Clark Streetscape against a backdrop of rundown eyesores.

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