Attorneys for the City of Chicago were pushing to have the historic Congress Theater closed for good after the city's buildings, fire, and health departments derived a list of 26 violations that the venue had. Officials from these departments were saying these violations made the entire venue unsafe to patrons. Some of these violations included obstruction of emergency exits, exposed wiring, defective lighting, and a broken ventilation system. However after an inspection on Monday, a judge ruled on Tuesday that the iconic venue may sell tickets and remain open, as long as the 1st floor capacity was limited to 3,000 people. Also, the 2nd floor balcony was to remain closed until proper lighting and a backup generator were installed.
“The majority of most serious violations are in compliance,” said judge Judy Frydland after Tuesday's hearing. “With all that, I just don't think we have a basis for closure.”
The city will continue to hold inspections until all of the violations are brought up to code. The next hearing is set for May 9th, following an inspection that same week.
