This October, Chicago Filmmakers—which screens independent cinema and offers filmmaking classes on the north side—will open the doors of its new location in Edgewater, a former firehouse located at 5720 N. Ridge. Erected in 1928, the two-story building features a towering facade with brown brick and terra-cotta elements laid out in a geometric design, broad windows, and a public garden on its northern side. Near the roof sits an intricately carved stone medallion, a popular feature of city buildings from the early 20th century that speaks to the pride the designers and builders took in their craftsmanship.
Chicago Filmmakers has continued to operate during construction, holding classes at the Andersonville location it has occupied for the past two decades. Yet the organization hasn’t hosted any screenings in the past year because Webb didn’t want to program anything until the physical move had been completed. Originally she’d expected the firehouse facility to open in late 2016, but things didn’t go according to plan. Three-phase electricity had to be installed to power the building’s elevator, which took months, and securing an occupancy license from the city took longer than she expected.
