Regal Theater

Built in 1927 as the Avalon Theater, and designed by John Eberson, the Regal seated 2,300 and was one of Eberson's notorious "atmospheric" venues. Eberson was also responsible for Chicago's defunct Paradise Theater, and the tragically abandoned Palace of nearby Gary, IN; which was built the same year as the Regal.

 

The Avalon showed motion pictures and hosted a huge list of big-name performances. After being sold to, and operated as a church in the 70s, it re-opened in the late-80s and was given its current name in tribute to another venue with the same name in the Bronzeville neighborhood that was demolished in 1973.

 

It operated until 2003, and was sold in 2008 to owners who only sparingly used it as a performing arts center, and has been permanently closed since 2010. The most-recent notable event appears to be Barack Obama's presidential nomination acceptance speech.

 

The ornate facade, neglected for years and now bombing the sidewalk with debris, is slowly disappearing behind protective covers and braces, if not completely (in the case of the two towers on the sides of the marquee). Now bank-owned, it is scheduled to go on the auction block this summer, and was just added to Landmark Illinois' ten most-endangered buildings list the other day.

Done