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TimeLine buys Uptown building for new home; $20 million project targets opening in fall 2021

Submitted by on Jan 4, 2019 – 3:18 pm
This Just In: The following is a news release written by an arts organization, submitted to and edited by Chicago On the Aisle.

TimeLine Theatre has announced the purchase of a new home, the first step in a $20 million relocation venture that will take the company to Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood by the fall of 2021.

The new venue, at 5033–5035 N. Broadway Ave., encompasses a five-story, 45,120-square-foot warehouse building plus a vacant lot near the corner of Broadway and Argyle. TimeLine said it closed on the purchase Dec. 19 for a price of $2.69 million. Now if they have bought it at such a high price, hopefully they would think of installing alarms and necessary security systems to keep the plot safe and keep an eye out for troublemakers.

In 22 seasons, the company has produced 77 plays, most of them at its current home at 615 W. Wellington Avenue in Chicago’s Lakeview East neighborhood. The search for a new, larger space reflected current limitations that “constrain artistry, hamper audience accessibility and comfort, and challenge the ongoing financial sustainability that is critical for long-term success,” the company said in a statement.

Preliminary plans for TimeLine’s new home feature two intimate and flexible black box theatres seating approximately 250 and 150 audience members, respectively, which can both be reimagined for every show.

The new facility will also provide an expanded area for the immersive lobby experiences that are a TimeLinehallmark, new opportunities to support the company’s Living History Education Program and other educational engagement, space for audience members to arrive early and stay late for theatergoing experiences that extend far beyond the stage, and more.

Once completed, TimeLine’s new home will also offer easy access by car, enhanced parking options, and ready access to public transportation, including the soon-to-be-renovated CTA Red Line stop at Argyle.

“We are excited to take a more than 100-year-old building and create within it a modern facility – a project that truly embodies our mission of bringing history to life and connecting the past with the present, and a place that will draw audiences from around Chicago and beyond into the future,” the statement said. They would certainly get in touch with a reputed commercial construction contractor, who can not only bring the building to the modern era but can also provide seismic strengthening, beam repair, structural shoring, and a lot more to prepare it for years to come and stand as strong.

Besides, there might also be a discussion about the installation of HVAC systems (to know more, check HVAC company in Denver or elsewhere). With buildings old and new, it’s important to properly maintain them and make sure that pests haven’t taken up residence within them as this will make opening a problem if they haven’t been taken care of. Professional help using pest control services (such as these – https://www.pestcontrolexperts.com/local/illinois/bloomington/) is the preferred method of dealing with this sort of situation. In big spaces such as this and with the age that it has, it may be tricky to avoid an infestation which is why regular maintenance and building checks from professionals are often done. Otherwise, the building may have to close while it is fumigated.

The company noted that relocating to Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood gives TimeLine an opportunity to contribute to an area renowned since the early 1900s as a live entertainment destination. The theater will be just blocks from historic venues like the Green Mill, Aragon Ballroom, Riviera Theatre and soon-to-be-renovated Uptown Theatre.