Congress Theater

{{short description|Chicago 1926 movie palace}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox venue

| name = Congress Theater

| image = Congress Theater Chicago.jpg

| caption = The Congress Theater in 2008

| address = 2135 N. Milwaukee Avenue

| city = Logan Square, Chicago, Illinois

| country = United States

| designation = National Landmark

| coordinates = {{coord|41.92|-87.69222|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| built = {{start date and age|1926}}

| architect = Fridstein & Company

| owner = New Congress LLC

| tenant =

| operator =

| capacity = 3500

| type = Mixed-use theater block

| opened =

| reopened = (projected) 2023

| yearsactive = 1926-2013

| rebuilt =

| closed =

| demolished =

| othernames =

| production =

| currentuse = Closed for renovation

| website =

| embedded =

{{Infobox NRHP

| embed = yes

| name = Congress Theater

| designated_other1_name = Chicago Landmark

| designated_other1_date = July 10, 2002

| designated_other1_abbr = CL

| designated_other1_link = Chicago Landmark

| designated_other1_color = #aaccff

| coordinates =

| locmapin = United States Chicago#Illinois#USA

| map_caption = Location in Chicago##Location in Illinois##Location in United States

| built = 1925-1926

| architect =

| architecture = Classical Revival, Italian Renaissance

| added = January 6, 2017

| area = less than one acre

| refnum = 160005792{{NRISref|version=2010a}}{{cite web|url=https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/zlup/Historic_Preservation/Publications/Congress_Theater.pdf| title=Congress Theater National Landmark Designation Report| publisher=City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development| access-date=February 6, 2020}}

}}

}}

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.{{cite news| first=Brent| last=DiCrescenzo| date=May 24, 2013| title=Congress Theater in peril as city revokes liquor license| url=https://www.timeout.com/chicago/music/congress-theater-in-peril-as-city-revokes-liquor-license| work=Time Out Chicago| access-date=12 April 2018}} It was a source of controversy due to issues such as liquor violations, a notoriously tough security team, and lax building upkeep.{{cite news| url=http://www.wbez.org/blogs/jim-derogatis/2014-01/sale-congress-theater-pending-109543| title=Sale of Congress Theater pending| first=Jim| last=DeRogatis| date=January 19, 2014| publisher=WBEZ| access-date=12 April 2018}}

In early 2014, Carranza announced he would sell the theater to developer Michael Moyer. Moyer planned to spend $65 million restoring the theater, with the goal of reopening the Congress in 2019.{{cite news| title=With $65 million renovation soon underway, Congress Theater looks to reopen in 2019| url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-congress-theater-renovation-20171012-story.html| first=Becky| last=Yerak| date=October 12, 2017| newspaper=Chicago Tribune| access-date=12 April 2018}} 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 and $6.2 million in tax abatement over 12 years.{{cite web | url=https://blockclubchicago.org/2023/07/17/congress-theater-overhaul-back-on-track-key-committee-approves-27-million-in-tif-funding-for-project/ | title=Congress Theater Overhaul Back On Track? | date=17 July 2023 }}https://chicagoyimby.com/2024/12/timeline-revealed-for-congress-theater-redevelopment-as-tax-incentives-are-approved.html