Zoning has been approved for a new entertainment center at 7052 S Jeffery Boulevard in South Shore. Located right on the intersection with E 71st street, the new project will be replacing a pair of vintage buildings that cannot be saved according to the developers. That being a team made up of South Shore Commercial Properties and Inner City Entertainment led by Alisa Stark.
Site context map of 7052 S Jeffery Boulevard via Google Maps
Originally conceptualized in 2015, the center will replace the former 50-room Spencer Arms Hotel and partial lobby of the Jeffery Theater built in 1925. The classic theater sat nearly 1,800 people before being closed in 1977, eventually in the 90’s Jackson Park National Bank demolished everything but its facade for a drive-thru bank.
View of 7052 S Jeffery Boulevard via Google Maps
Now, after a decade in the making, the development team finalized plans that call for a three-story center that will contain a Creole restaurant, an eight lane bowling alley, an event space, and a seven screen dine-in movie theater, bringing movies back to the site. There will also potentially be a small rooftop deck according to the renderings.
PREVIOUS rendering of 7052 S Jeffery Boulevard via DNA Info
Rendering of 7052 S Jeffery Boulevard via ICE
Future guests will also be able to use parking lots across the street owned by the development team. The building itself will be clad in black metal panels, gray precast panels, and illuminated accents. With a rough budget over $20 million, the team hopes to break ground this coming spring and finish late 2026 according to Block Club.
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I can’t believe this got approved. This took years. I totally forgotten about this project.
I’ve been staying in this neighborhood long enough to know this is a great opportunity for change…I just hope they will not push our community out
Should have kept the historic facade
It’s definitely a shame this beautiful facade could not be salvaged, this is horrible on the developers part, but not surprised because money talks
I lived a block off where this is, years ago. I know for a fact, that section of Jeffery, has been bad news for several years now. It has attracted way too much bad attention. That area needs a proper grocery store, more than anything. Local Market, is not enough! And the crime/drug problem needs to be serious addressed. Because otherwise, the type of people who frequent this neighborhood, will find a way to ruin it, for the few who would appreciate it.