Demolition of the W.C. Reebie & Brother building has begun in Uptown

5035 North Broadway demolitionRendering of the new façade provided by TimeLine Theatre

After receiving a demolition permit in early August, wrecking work on the former W. C. Reebie & Brother storage building at 5035 North Broadway in Uptown is underway. The contracting team of Milburn Demolition and Bulley & Andrews is working from the south façade, carving a hole into the side of the building and working their way inward.

W. C. Reebie & Brother storage building demolition

Photo by Daniel Schell

W. C. Reebie & Brother storage building demolition

Photo by Daniel Schell

W. C. Reebie & Brother storage building demolition

Photo by Daniel Schell

W. C. Reebie & Brother storage building demolition

Photo by Daniel Schell

W. C. Reebie & Brother storage building demolition

Photo by Daniel Schell

TimeLine Theatre purchased the building in 2018, and is now doing the partial demo and renovation to create a lobby café and bar, a 250-seat flexible black box theatre that’s built to be transformative, and exhibit galleries designed to “support the immersive, interactive lobby experiences that are a TimeLine hallmark.” Backstage, there will be several areas tailored for collaboration and creation, including a rehearsal room, design and production studios, and staff offices, that fully support artists and staff in their work. The company’s Living History program will also have dedicated space for its engagement with students, and that space also will be available for community meetings and events.

W. C. Reebie & Brother storage building demolition

Photo by Daniel Schell

Photo by Daniel Schell

W. C. Reebie & Brother storage building demolition

Photo by Daniel Schell

Last month, a spokesman for TimeLine Theatre confirmed that only the front portion of the Reebie building would be demolished, despite there being no mention of this being a partial demolition in the permit’s language. A previous iteration of the renovation preserved the Broadway-facing façade, but that is no longer planned to be saved.

TimeLine Theatre 5035 North Broadway demolition

Rendering of a previous plan for the TimeLine Theatre that would have preserved the Broadway façade, via HGA

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3 Comments on "Demolition of the W.C. Reebie & Brother building has begun in Uptown"

  1. This iteration of reuse is great but, boy, I wish they retained the original facade

    • I will unjustifiably upset about the facade of this building for years to come. They told the community they were going to preserve the front, which faciliated local aldermanic blessings etc, and then almost immediately annouced they were shocked and dismayed to discover the facace was structurally unstable. I call BS on that.

  2. Your “calling BS on that” will surely thunder throughout the community and halls of power for years to come…

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