The Double Door was recently granted a reprieve in its longstanding rent dispute with its current landlord, allowing the venue to remain in Wicker Park through the end of 2016. In an interview with the Tribune, Double Door co-owner Sean Mulroney seemed optimistic, stating, "Double Door is not leaving the city of Chicago. We're not done. We still hope to work things out in that building."
Now it seems that the co-owners of the Double Door are already eying a new property in Logan Square. According to Logan Square Preservation, Joe Shanahan (who co-owns the Double Door and operates Metro) and Mulroney have proposed a new music venue in the building that once housed the Logan Square State and Savings Bank, but more recently hosted the Logan Square Medical Institute and a pharmacy.
Just like the namesake feature of the Double Door in Wicker Park, the Logan Square building (which dates back to 1922) has two entrances, one located at 2551 North Milwaukee and the other at 3061 West Logan Boulevard. The proposal Shanahan and Mulroney have submitted calls for a "650 people concert area plus two bar areas with capacities of 229 and 120." The building's zoning will accomodate the creation of a concert venue and bar, though the owners plan to apply for a 2am liquor license.
Logan Square Preservation notes that the building is located in the neighborhood's historic district, a fact that is acknowledged in the project's proposal, which calls for a "sensitive restoration (exterior and interior) following landmark guidelines." If the proposal moves forward, the projected opening date for the venue would be sometime in late 2017.
Whether the new venue will serve as the new home of the Double Door or operate as an entirely new venue remains to be seen. Logan Square is already home to venues like the Concord Music Hall, Township, the Burlington and Logan Square Auditorium, but concert-goers could soon have a new place to see shows in the increasingly popular neighborhood.
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