A proposal for a new performance venue that would bring live theatre back to Andersonville for the first time since the Calo Theatre has been buzzing among residents and business owners in the 48th Ward. However, the new venture has encountered a potentially fatal roadblock as property owner Newcastle Limited has decided to follow through with previous plans to lease the space to a restaurant operator.
About a month ago, brothers Brandon and Ashley Wright, owners of Andersonville hot spot Hamburger Mary's, proposed to turn the vacant space at 5419 N. Clark St. (formerly the Star Gaze bar) into a venue that would include a 100-plus seat main stage, 44-seat small stage and lobby with a bar and concessions.
"We know that [the space] would be a popular location for theatre companies to perform," Ashley Wright said. "There's nothing like that in the neighborhood … and that's really the only building [on the market] that you can do all that in."
When it received the proposal, Newcastle had already been negotiating a contract for the space with the owner/operator of Jerry's Sandwiches. Ultimately, the real estate firm decided to go through with these plans.
Newcastle has recently released a statement outlining the sequence of events that led to its decision.
The space had been on the market since January 2010. After turning away various proposals that didn't meet the criteria of Andersonville's neighborhood organizations, discussions began with representatives of Jerry's Sandwiches in April 2011. In July, Newcastle met with 48th Ward Ald. Harry Osterman, the Andersonville Residents Council and the Andersonville Development Corporation, all of which supported the proposal.
Once final negotiations began, Newcastle received the proposal for the tentatively named "A-Ville Theater." The statement then describes the firm's concerns with the proposal.
"The promoter of the concept was unable—in the 20 months since being informed of the property's availability—to secure written commitments from theater companies supporting the concept, nor address neighborhood concerns regarding the parking impact of the proposal," the statement says.
The Wrights had received verbal commitments from a number of theatre companies who expressed interest in renting from the proposed space as well as the support of Osterman and the League of Chicago Theaters. When the proposal was turned down, the brothers circulated a letter of support for the proposal to nearby Clark Street businesses. Wright said that 50 businesses had signed the letter, which has since been forwarded to Newcastle.
Bonnie Metzgar, artistic director for About Face Theatre, confirmed that the theatre company verbally supported the Wrights. About Face has rented Mary's Attic for a number of previous productions and would be interested in a space of the proposed size and location of the A-Ville Theater.
"It's a great location for the audience we are going after and assuming that they're able to build what they're describing, that's a very desirable venue," Metzgar said. "That's not only true of About Face, but I've had conversations with other friends of mine and of theatre companies of like sizes who often are in same venues as us and there's a lot of interest on the street by theatre companies to be in this venue."
Newcastle believes a theater could be an exciting addition to Andersonville's retail corridor, but intends on fulfilling its prior commitment given the aforementioned circumstances.
As a resident of Andersonville, Metzgar expressed the same opinion as Wright and other supporters of the theater: Andersonville is heavily saturated with restaurants and a theatre would help keep people's business in the neighborhood, as it has developed a reputation as a place to stop in for dinner before going elsewhere for entertainment. She says she hopes the high visibility of this news will change the minds of either or both Newcastle and the owner of Jerry's Sandwiches.
"With the clear community support that there is for [the theater], I would fear for the success of this restaurant should it open," Metzgar said.
Wright said he feels it would be irresponsible to abandon the proposal and hopes to raise enough awareness and support to convince Newcastle to slow down the remainder of the negotiations with Jerry's Sandwiches enough to reconsider.
"We don't want to be troublemakers and stir the pot, but we also don't want to give up on what a great concept this is," he said. "There's no other option [as far as the space], it just won't happen."
Supporters of the theater remain hopeful. Metzgar said she's been invited to further discuss the matter should all sides sit down to revisit the proposal. Osterman has gone on the record supporting a theater in Andersonville, but was unable to comment for Windy City Times by deadline.
