The ten-story Fine Arts Building, formerly known as the Studebaker Building, is located at 410 S Michigan Avenue across from Grant Park in Chicago in the Chicago LandmarkHistoric Michigan Boulevard District. It was built for the Studebaker company in 1884–1885 by Solon Spencer Beman, and extensively remodeled in 1898, when Beman removed the building's eighth (top) story and added three new stories.[2] Studebaker constructed the building as a carriage sales and service operation with manufacturing on upper floors. The two granite columns at the main entrance, 3 feet 8 inches (1.12 m) in diameter and 12 feet 10 inches (3.91 m) high, were said to be the largest polished monolithic shafts in the country.[3] The interior features Art Nouveau motifs and murals by artists such as Martha Susan Baker, Frederic Clay Bartlett, Oliver Dennett Grover, Frank Xavier Leyendecker, and Bertha Sophia Menzler-Peyton dating from the 1898 renovation. In the early 20th century, the Kalo Shop and Wilro Shop, firms owned by women and specializing in Arts and Crafts items, were established in the Fine Arts Building.[4]
Art Nouveau murals on the Fine Arts Building's 10th floor
True to its name, it houses artists' lofts, art galleries, theatre, dance and recording studios, interior and web design firms, musical instrument makers, and other businesses associated with the arts. It also holds offices of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras,[5] the Jazz Institute of Chicago,[5] and the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival.[6] The Fine Arts Building was designated a Chicago Landmark on June 7, 1978.[7]
The Fine Arts Building houses the Studebaker Theater, also known as Studebaker Hall, dedicated in 1898.[8] In 1917, the theater underwent its first major renovation under the direction of architect Andrew Rebori. The theater still looks much the same as it did after that renovation, retaining the original ceiling from 1898.
In the 1970s the theater was partitioned into a multiplex movie theater. Renovations to return to live theater were begun in 2015, and the theater was reopened in 2016 with a capacity of 740.[11]
The Studebaker Theater Balcony
A larger multimillion-dollar renovation began in 2021, updating many of the Studebaker's technical capacities.[12] Following the renovation, the Studebaker Theater became home to NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me![13]
Chicago Little Theatreedit
From 1912 to 1917, the Fine Arts Building housed the Chicago Little Theatre, an art theater credited with beginning the Little Theatre Movement in the United States. Not being able to afford rental on the building's 500-seat auditorium, co-producers Maurice Browne and Ellen Van Volkenburg rented a large storage space on the fourth floor at the back and built it out into a 91-seat house.[14] The group specialized in training actors and producing contemporary plays in their small 99-seat theater on the 4th floor, including performances of Shaw, Strindberg, Ibsen, Wilde, and Yeats. Though short-lived, the Chicago Little Theatre was a monumental influence on American theatre, spreading the Little Theatre practice across the nation and laying the groundwork for the Chicago storefront theater movement. The Chicago Little Theatre space is now occupied by the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, whose founder chose the space because Van Volkenburg used puppets and coined the word "puppeteer."[15]
^Reid, Kerry (2021-08-13). "The Fine Arts theater team makes no little plans". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
^"'Wait, Wait ... Don't Tell Me!' resumes live tapings in brand new Chicago location". Chicago Tribune. 16 May 2022. Retrieved 2022-05-18.
^Browne, Maurice. Too Late to Lament: An Autobiography. London, Gollancz, 1955; p 120.
^"Fine Arts Building turns 125: Eclecticism comes with the rent". Chicago Tribune. 2023-10-05. Retrieved 2023-10-09.
External linksedit
Media related to Fine Arts Building (Chicago) at Wikimedia Commons
Fine Arts Building
After the Final Curtain (Pre-renovation photographs of the Studebaker Theatre)
Studebaker Theater
April 12, 2024
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This article is about the Chicago Historic Building For other uses see Fine Arts Building disambiguation The ten story Fine Arts Building formerly known as the Studebaker Building is located at 410 S Michigan Avenue across from Grant Park in Chicago in the Chicago Landmark Historic Michigan Boulevard District It was built for the Studebaker company in 1884 1885 by Solon Spencer Beman and extensively remodeled in 1898 when Beman removed the building s eighth top story and added three new stories 2 Studebaker constructed the building as a carriage sales and service operation with manufacturing on upper floors The two granite columns at the main entrance 3 feet 8 inches 1 12 m in diameter and 12 feet 10 inches 3 91 m high were said to be the largest polished monolithic shafts in the country 3 The interior features Art Nouveau motifs and murals by artists such as Martha Susan Baker Frederic Clay Bartlett Oliver Dennett Grover Frank Xavier Leyendecker and Bertha Sophia Menzler Peyton dating from the 1898 renovation In the early 20th century the Kalo Shop and Wilro Shop firms owned by women and specializing in Arts and Crafts items were established in the Fine Arts Building 4 Fine Arts BuildingU S National Register of Historic PlacesChicago LandmarkFine Arts Building Facade 2023Location410 418 S Michigan Ave Chicago IllinoisCoordinates41 52 35 2 N 87 37 28 6 W 41 876444 N 87 624611 W 41 876444 87 624611Built1885ArchitectSolon BemanArchitectural styleRomanesqueNRHP reference No 75000653Significant datesAdded to NRHPAugust 11 1975 1 Designated CLJune 7 1978Art Nouveau murals on the Fine Arts Building s 10th floorTrue to its name it houses artists lofts art galleries theatre dance and recording studios interior and web design firms musical instrument makers and other businesses associated with the arts It also holds offices of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras 5 the Jazz Institute of Chicago 5 and the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival 6 The Fine Arts Building was designated a Chicago Landmark on June 7 1978 7 Contents 1 Studebaker Theater 2 Chicago Little Theatre 3 Prominent Historic Tenants 4 References 5 External linksStudebaker Theater edit nbsp The Studebaker Theater Proscenium and StageThe Fine Arts Building houses the Studebaker Theater also known as Studebaker Hall dedicated in 1898 8 In 1917 the theater underwent its first major renovation under the direction of architect Andrew Rebori The theater still looks much the same as it did after that renovation retaining the original ceiling from 1898 The Studebaker was the site of David Bispham s 1901 recital exclusively featuring the songs of Carrie Jacobs Bond 9 Paul Whiteman and his orchestra gave the first public performance of the Grand Canyon Suite here on November 22 1931 The venue also hosted some of the earliest live television shows including DuMont Television Network s Cavalcade of Stars hosted by comedian Jack Carter citation needed and Hawkins Falls Population 6200 10 In the 1970s the theater was partitioned into a multiplex movie theater Renovations to return to live theater were begun in 2015 and the theater was reopened in 2016 with a capacity of 740 11 nbsp The Studebaker Theater BalconyA larger multimillion dollar renovation began in 2021 updating many of the Studebaker s technical capacities 12 Following the renovation the Studebaker Theater became home to NPR s Wait Wait Don t Tell Me 13 Chicago Little Theatre editFrom 1912 to 1917 the Fine Arts Building housed the Chicago Little Theatre an art theater credited with beginning the Little Theatre Movement in the United States Not being able to afford rental on the building s 500 seat auditorium co producers Maurice Browne and Ellen Van Volkenburg rented a large storage space on the fourth floor at the back and built it out into a 91 seat house 14 The group specialized in training actors and producing contemporary plays in their small 99 seat theater on the 4th floor including performances of Shaw Strindberg Ibsen Wilde and Yeats Though short lived the Chicago Little Theatre was a monumental influence on American theatre spreading the Little Theatre practice across the nation and laying the groundwork for the Chicago storefront theater movement The Chicago Little Theatre space is now occupied by the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival whose founder chose the space because Van Volkenburg used puppets and coined the word puppeteer 15 Prominent Historic Tenants editLorado Taft sculptor William W Denslow Wizard of Oz illustrator Frank Lloyd Wright architect John T McCutcheon political cartoonist George Barr McCutcheon author Ralph Fletcher Seymour publisher and etcher Anna Morgan acting teacher J C Leyendecker and F X Leyendecker illustrators Oliver Dennett Grover artist Frederic Clay Bartlett artist Irving K Pond architect Caxton Club literary club The Little Review literary journal edited by Margaret Anderson Chicago Woman s Club Fortnightly of Chicago Illinois Equal Suffrage Association led by President Grace Wilbur Trout Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras George Ade humorist Henry Blake Fuller novelist Kalo Shop silversmithing shop Chicago Little Theatre founded by Maurice Browne and Ellen Van Volkenburg The Dial literary journal edited by Francis Fisher Browne Chicago Musical College Alliance Francaise George Hamlin tenor Arnold Jacobs tubist George Perlman violinist and composer Harrington Institute of Interior Design Studebaker Theatre Company 1956 1957 founded by Bernard Sahlins Jazz Institute of Chicago Gillian Flynn novelistReferences editNotes National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service April 15 2008 Schulze Franz amp Harrington Kevin 2003 Chicago s Famous Buildings 5th ed Chicago University of Chicago Press ISBN 0 226 74066 8 See building No 3 on illustration Looking West from Michigan Boulevard Bulletin of the Bureau of Labor 1904 p 1603 a b Fine Arts Building Fine Farts Building Retrieved 2007 05 18 Rabinowitz Chloe Details Announced for THE 5th CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL PUPPET THEATER FESTIVAL Broadway World Retrieved 2023 02 09 Fine Arts Building City of Chicago Archived from the original on 2007 06 07 Retrieved 2007 05 18 Chris Jones Historic Studebaker gets another moment in the spotlight in Chicago Tribune 2008 August 11 accessed 2009 August 19 Library of Congress Jacobs Bond site NBC TV Dropping Studebaker in Chi Variety February 23 1955 p 23 Retrieved April 7 2023 About Studebaker Theater Retrieved 2019 03 11 Reid Kerry 2021 08 13 The Fine Arts theater team makes no little plans Chicago Reader Retrieved 2022 05 18 Wait Wait Don t Tell Me resumes live tapings in brand new Chicago location Chicago Tribune 16 May 2022 Retrieved 2022 05 18 Browne Maurice Too Late to Lament An Autobiography London Gollancz 1955 p 120 Fine Arts Building turns 125 Eclecticism comes with the rent Chicago Tribune 2023 10 05 Retrieved 2023 10 09 External links edit nbsp Media related to Fine Arts Building Chicago at Wikimedia Commons Fine Arts Building After the Final Curtain Pre renovation photographs of the Studebaker Theatre Studebaker Theater Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fine Arts Building Chicago amp oldid 1184469868 Studebaker Theater, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
