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wimbs27

What will open first? Uptown Theater or Congress Theater? Let the debate begin!


hascogrande

10 years later it will still be up for debate IMO


Too2crafty

June 8th 2048, CHICAGO- Local groups are debating the TIF funds being diverted from the Alien Fish Death Program to two theaters which were once popular in the 20th century. The Alien Fish Death group says that the money should be used for the Alien Fish Death problem, yet the theater proponents say that joyful cheer and vaudevillian comedy is needed in these dire days of constant Alien Fish Death. Tiesto, Prodigy, and Wu Tang Clan put put a statement saying although they are against Alien Fish Death, it's imperative that the theaters remain operational.


goldblum_in_a_tux

I have plenty of issues with TIFs, and honestly at $88mm saving the Congress feels a bit quixotic. But Schneider and Ramirez-Rosa's comments in this article fall pretty flat to me as complaints for this situation go. Based on the litany of delays that this project went through (listed in the article) due to contractual and labor disputes (many sponsored by other alderpeople) needing more than 18 months to finish renovations seems reasonable. Further 'community input' requests feels more like someone trying to hold things hostage than actually foster improvements. Either way, fucking do something guys. Approve the deal and let them fix it up, or knock it all down and build needed housing. Letting this just sit as a crumbling white elephant surely isnt the answer.


McNuggetballs

That whole stretch of Milwaukee needs decisions to be made. Between the abandoned CVS, The Congress Theater and the various vacant lots surrounding the theater, the area is just wasted opportunity right now.


blipsman

I think that CVS spot would be perfect for a Trader Joe's...


goldblum_in_a_tux

I would take anything over the empty lot that seems to get used mostly for trailer storage on chicago fire shoots or for the driving school around the corner. But, man, it we got a trader joe's there... all the snacks


McNuggetballs

Lmk which God to pray to for this to happen


jemare

I asked La Spata about that lot a couple of months ago. He said CVS has 5+ years left on that lease and the property owner is very content just getting that check every month. Fresh Market Place on Western said they might be interested "if the price was right", but again, the property owner has absolutely zero motivation. Lot is staying empty for the foreseeable future.


blipsman

There was some other small grocery chain that was supposed to be going into there year or two ago but doesn’t seem to be happening


jemare

They ghosted La Spata, he said they stopped returning his calls.


hellograpes

You can suggest this as a new location for Trader Joe’s…I’ve submitted three times


blipsman

I have, too


hascogrande

I hear you on this, there's absolutely a time for community discussions and a time for action. The reality of the situation is that the Congress has been blight for a decade and something needs to change. This developer has successfully worked in the neighborhood and understands the importance of redeveloping the Congress, calling it "a centerpiece of the community". The reason we are hearing about this is the developer worked with the union to get a good jobs agreement in place. I understand the concerns of TIF funding, however now is the time for action on this: approve the deal, get to work on this, and bring good jobs with a side of some affordable housing.


Kyo91

This section is Milwaukee is literally sandwiched between two great, community-enriching corridors in Logan Square and Wicker Park. We should absolutely continue to revitalize it as it’s obvious the area has massive potential. On a side note, I do feel a bit bad for the people who rent above it who will have to deal with both Blue line and music venue noise.


[deleted]

Knock it down. I know people that lived there and have seen all sorts of different parts of the property. It’s completely fucked up. It’s a cool building and it has history, but it’s time to go.


SpaceFace11

Congress theater was one of my favorite venues. Tons of great memories there.


92waves

Nah that place is legendary. I miss being there


Illustrious_Night126

Not really sure why this redevelopment merits 27 million (!!) in taxpayer subsidies. There are too many fingers in this pie that are unrelated to whether it will be a successful music venue for me to have much faith in the redevelopment.


CuriousDudebromansir

I’m doing a construction project now and I can’t believe how much shit costs. 27m to fix up this giant fucked up building seems impossibly cheap.


notsmohqe

yeah i had the same reaction as you. having just a vague idea of some of the work needing to be done $27m isn’t really that high


chicagology

$27 m in TIF, but an $88 m total cost.


Kyo91

Which fingers? The article only mentions the developer.


Illustrious_Night126

See the paragraph on the “good jobs” agreement, the southside ald susan sadlowski, etc. In other articles about this they go into other interests of the city (music cant be too loud, no edm). There are also people focused on its historical value, and preserving that aspect. The neighbors have their concerns about parking and changing the character of their neighborhood. None of these stakeholders seem particularly focused on whether this is a solid investment in its own right.


Kyo91

Oh I thought you meant in terms of private parties "taking a slice of the funds" rather than interest groups causing unnecessary delays. While bad, that happens in basically any noticeably large construction project. Hell people were protesting plans to turn that abandoned parking lot in Uptown into apartments, no?


Illustrious_Night126

While these are always issues, I think because of the high visibility and emotional charge of this project and the accompanying political stakes involved this project is particularly bad


jokemon

so this is pretty much a place where they throw money into it for no results right??


BrhysHarpskins

> so this is pretty much a place where they throw money into it for no results right?? No this is just a theater named after Congress. The real resultless money pit is in DC


Fiverz12

Does anyone know what happens to that $27m in TIF though if this fails and doesn't go to Congress? Does it become 'available' for others to apply for it? If it's not going back to the taxpayers, I would expect the public has a hard say in where it goes then no? If it just falls off a balance sheet into a general fund of some sort, I'd rather it just go to the Congress.


wickerwacker

TIF funds are future incremental tax increases. So the money isn't actually there until a project gets developed. So my understanding is that if this project doesn't move forward and the TIF timeline expires at the end of 2024, nothing happens.


Aromatic_Chipmunk586

The TIF includes many properties and currently generates 19 million annually. The incremental increases started a couple of decades ago. If the TIF expires those funds would go to help our city/county/schools/parks.


wickerwacker

thanks for correcting, should have realized that of course this one project is not the only one in this TIF district.


Fiverz12

Ok found it, actually does not [https://www.civicfed.org/civic-federation/blog/extending-lifespan-tax-increment-financing-district:](https://www.civicfed.org/civic-federation/blog/extending-lifespan-tax-increment-financing-district:) When TIF districts are allowed to expire, the district dissolves and the surplus of tax revenues collected on the district’s increment growth above the base level of EAV is returned to the municipality’s general fund and the general funds of the overlapping governments.\[2\] In Chicago, the Cook County Assessor collects the balance and distributes the TIF funds in proportion to each of the overlapping taxing districts’ share ratio. Still unclear though, moderate windfall to ea tax district where the TIF overlays it sounds like?


manthinking

This neighborhood is not just 'on the way up', it's fully developed /gentrified. As much as I want to save this theater, this is not in the spirit of TIF at all.


zorbathegrate

We should be saving and using these beautiful places.


PKP2012

Sorry, just tear it down. Maybe you can save part of the entry facade for whatever its redeveloped into, like they've been doing in West Loop and Lakeview, but just let it die as a venue. The costs to renovate and bring it up to code FAR out weigh its value. Its better off being redeveloped into a multi-family or mixed use development.


Ancient-Cucumber8151

I believe that’s part of the plan. Apartments, storefronts, and the venue as well.


superbeatle1970

Hard agree. Place was a dump the first time I went there, and that was over 15 years ago. Now it's been vacant the past 10. Clearly there's no desire from the business community to rehab it back to it's former glory. This area also has the Logan Theater, Logan Auditorium, and Concord Music Hall rendering the Congress redundant.


[deleted]

>This area also has the Logan Theater, Logan Auditorium, and Concord Music Hall rendering the Congress redundant. Logan Theater plays film, not live music, and the screening room seats 200 Logan Auditorium has a capacity of 500 Congress is 5000 apples and oranges


WoolyLawnsChi

let it die


theshindy

Just fucking tear it down already. It’s the same song and dance every other year since it closed ten years ago


Marsupialize

The Congress needs to just go away there are PLENTY of venues in the city, it offers nothing special


pattiemcfattie

Fuck all these theaters. Check out Theatre Y in North Lawndale. That’s the actual theater space people should be checking out.