SPRING THEATER & ARTS PREVIEW

“This is something we think we can pull o ,” said Barstow. “That’s kind of step one, [asking,] ‘Is it something we can actually make an impact on?’”

“[The project] was something that became somewhat personal,” Barstow continued, recounting numerous family trips to the city during his childhood.

It’s also personal to the residents of Hyde Park, who hope that it can be another source of growth for the expanding downtown area. Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce executive director Phil Moy hopes that the face-lifted theater will catalyze more foot tra c for the surrounding bars and restaurants.

“That theater, it’s in a great location because it’s pretty much the heart of the 53rd Street business district,” said Moy. “There’s about two dozen restaurants within a twoblock walking distance of the theater.”

According to Moy, ensuring that older buildings find continued use in the community is as much a practical measure as it is important to preserving the neighborhood’s history.

“We have a lot of older buildings within the Hyde Park community that continue to operate,” Moy said. “For instance, the Penthouse Hyde Park is in the old Piccadilly Building. The Penthouse used to be their ballroom, and now it’s a venue for weddings and parties and anniversaries.”

The fact that a new party was looking to try their luck with the theater was itself a source of excitement. It’s not hard to assume the community breathed a collective sigh of relief that the theater wasn’t falling into the limbo of indefinite closure and “big things coming” Instagram posts.

“The rumor mill in Hyde Park tends to go pretty fast,” Moy said. “That there were new owners coming into that theater kind of spread pretty quick. I think the excitement is there, and we’ve had so many new things actually in and around that area.”

Should everything go to plan, the Harper Theater will be a destination for family movie outings, opening-night premieres, and awkward first dates come late spring. v