Additional funding has been announced for a new dance and community center at 5339 S State Street in Washington Park. Located just north of the intersection with E 54th Street and sandwiched between the namesake park and highway, the new facility will replace a long standing set of vacant lots owned by the city. The team behind the proposal is the Deeply Rooted Dance Company who currently operates downtown; no architect has been announced.
Initial funding has been announced for the potential redevelopment of the building at 1550 N Milwaukee Avenue in Wicker Park. Located just south of the six-corner intersection with N Damen Avenue and W North Avenue, the combined two-building site is currently home to the Lubinski Furniture store who also owns it. The redevelopment plans are being led by nonprofit arts group Equity Arts which seeks to create a permanent home for the local art scene that placed the neighborhood on the map.
New funding has been announced for the Muddy Waters MOJO Museum at 4337 S Lake Park Avenue in North Kenwood. Located near the intersection with E 43rd Street in the changing area, the Muddy Waters Original Jam Out Museum (MOJO) will restore the former home of the famed musician and the vacant lot adjacent to it. The project is being led by Muddy’s great granddaughter Chandra Cooper with local firm BauerLatoza working on its design.
A zoning application has been submitted for an expansion of the Ed Paschke Art Center at 5415 W Higgins Avenue in Jefferson Park. Located near the corner with N Long Avenue across from the neighborhood’s namesake park, the addition is the first phase of what will be a larger arts campus. Ed Paschke along with Chicago Art Center are the developers of the addition which is being designed by Sandberg Architecture & Design Inc.
Details have been revealed for the mixed-use expansion of the Black Ensemble Theater (BE) at 4453 N Clark Street in Uptown. Located directly across the street from the theater’s current home just south of the intersection with W Sunnyside Avenue, the new structure will expand the campus to create a cultural corridor. Originally imagined in 2009, the theater is now moving forward with enlarged plans dubbed ‘The Free To Be Village’ designed by Nia Architects, Gensler, and Site Design Group.
