Logan Square's Iconic Congress Theater Is Finally Rising Again — And Affordable Housing Is Getting a Major Boost Too

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Logan Square ·

Big things are happening on Milwaukee Avenue, Logan Square — and this time, it's a century-old landmark leading the charge. The Congress Theater at 2135 N. Milwaukee Ave., shuttered since 2013, is officially under full-scale rehabilitation. Construction got underway in March, with completion projected for December 2027. The

18 million overhaul — led by developer Baum Revision and backed by a $25 million City Council-approved HUD loan — will restore the historic 3,500-seat theater to its former glory while adding 16 affordable housing units and 13,000 square feet of retail space, 75% of which must be leased to local businesses or artists. Built in 1926, the Congress is one of the last surviving theaters tied to the legendary "moving picture theater" operators Lubliner & Trinz — and neighbors have waited over a decade for this comeback.

Meanwhile, the neighborhood's affordable housing momentum is accelerating on a second front. Two community-rooted projects — the Metropolitan L Apartments at 2525 N. Kedzie Blvd. and the second phase of Encuentro Square at 3745 W. Cortland St., near the western end of the Bloomingdale Trail — have both been selected to receive city investment alongside Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, clearing a crucial funding hurdle. Together, these 15 city-selected projects are expected to create or preserve 1,223 housing units across Chicago, with the vast majority qualifying as affordable.

From a storied theater's second act to new homes for Logan Square families, this neighborhood is doubling down on its roots. Keep an eye on both projects — and let your neighbors know what you're most excited to see come to life!

Sources:
1. https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/02/25/congress-theater-overhaul-full-speed-ahead-with-construction-to-start-in-march-ald-says/
2. https://comfortmovingchicago.com/we-love-chicago/2026-logan-square-development-update.html
3. https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/04/08/2-logan-square-affordable-housing-projects-get-crucial-funding-assistance/