Circesteem Invites The Uptown Community to Pay Their Respects to The Previously-owned Alternatives Inc Mural

On April 15th at 2PM, CircEsteem invites the Uptown Community to come pay their respect to the previously-owned Alternatives Inc Mural.

CircEsteem reports this news ahead of a historical renovation of its 4730 property, which will mark a pivotal moment within the organization's continued growth towards better serving the youth of the Uptown community. Residents of the neighborhood are strongly encouraged to visit the 4730 N. Sheridan building prior to the April 15th date if they would like to take pictures of the mural.

CircEsteem understands the joyful color and happiness this mural has brought to the community since its creation in 2006. The decision to part ways with the design was not an easy one, and its removal will be treated with care as CircEsteem staff repurpose the mural in a creative way for the community during the Summer of 2023. More information on this CircEsteem-led project will be released closer to the date. In the meantime, CircEsteem will begin chipping away at the mural on April 15th, and invites residents to commune with them on this day. Requests for pieces of the mural to take home will be honored on this day only.

With the help of an anonymous donation, CircEsteem was able to purchase the 4730 N. Sheridan building from Alternatives Inc in August 2022 after nearly 22-years of cohabitation with the organization. As Alternatives Inc moved on from the Uptown neighborhood, CircEsteem began to brainstorm what to do with the newly acquired space, immediately tackling some of the urgent needs and repairs of the 111-year-old building. Nestled in the Historical Entertainment District of Uptown, the renovation of this 110-year old building will pay homage to the history of the neighborhood while also embracing the diverse changes happening in the community. The idea to restore the exterior of the building to its mid-1910s Lakeside Movie Theater façade, and create an interior that is a modern state-of-the-art area for the practice and performance of circus arts, was born. This idea would soon become reality as the City of Chicago's Community Development Grant program gifted the CircEsteem with $5 million to renovate. With the moving nod to the past and future, CircEsteem's design idea garnered the wonderful support of Juan Moreno and his team at JGMA Architects, and they are determined to design a building that will put CircEsteem's best foot forward to better serve thousands of youths for years to come.

CircEsteem thanks the Uptown community for their compassionate understanding as the organization embarks on this journey to provide the best facility for our Uptown youth. CircEsteem strongly encourages all within the neighborhood to visit the facility on April 15th to take a piece of history home with them. Please join the CircEsteem mailing list for updates on the building renovations and the upcoming in-house CircEsteem art project.

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