Portage Park’s historic Portage Theater won a unanimous recommendation from the Chicago Commission on Landmarks last week, but the 1920s movie house isn’t out of the woods yet.
After a neighborhood church announced it would withdraw its bid to acquire the northwest side cinema, preservationists celebrated. But a September acquisition by Congress Theater owner Erineo “Eddie” Carranza left some of them with lingering doubts. WBEZ’s Jim DeRogatis reported theater owners Dennis Wolkowicz and Dave Dziedzic may have been served with a 60-day eviction notice, noting the Portage has no new bookings after mid-April.
The landmark designation, which still needs approval from City Council, would protect the theater’s lobby, interior, and facade. Future owners could still tear out the theater’s 1,300 seats because they aren’t original, DNAinfo Chicago reported, but the theater would have to remain a cinema. Carranza previously said he wanted to turn the theater into a concert venue—a plan opposed by many preservationists and 45th Ward Alderman John Arena.
