Anyone who’s taken on a building renovation and gotten in too deep can sympathize with Jerald Gary.
He’s been in that situation to the extreme since at least 2014 when he got control of the Avalon Regal Theater, 1641 E. 79th St. The place is magnificent, a Chicago landmark for its Middle Eastern-influenced design and its history with African American entertainers, but it’s been unused for years and has fallen into disrepair. Every system and decoration needs repair, replacement or cleaning if the theater is to host performances again. Gary has dealt with building code violations and there’s a pending court case involving repair of the façade, which the city regards as an urgent matter.
