TIF Support Proposed for Restoration of Uptown Music Venue

The Double Door music club would finalize the restoration and reopening of Uptown's historic Wilson Theater through $5 million in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) proposed to City Council by Mayor Brandon Johnson today.

The long-anticipated $11.5 million project at 1050 W. Wilson Ave. would create a live performance venue with capacity for 700 people. The Double Door Liquors 2.5 LLC project would also create a tuition-free after-school music program in partnership with Uplift High School, The People's Music School and Black Ensemble Theatre.

The Double Door operated for more than 20 years in Wicker Park before closing in 2017. Built in 1909, the Wilson Theater building is part of the Uptown Square Landmark District. In January, the project was awarded a $125,000 Adopt-A-Landmark grant for eligible restoration costs.

The TIF assistance is being proposed through the Department of Planning and Development's Community Development Grant program.

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