Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • Page 498

Chicago Tribune, Sunday, February 18. 1996 Section 16 3L Real Estate ApsD to missbii Woman aims to restore Harlem landmark's heritage By Felicia R. Lee New York Times News Service race Blake has a dream mission. Or is it a nearly impossible task? Blake, the new executive director of the HUMS COOPERATIVES if' 1403 ELMDALE Pretty 2BR vintage in perfect condition! New kitchen, built-in hutch, hdwd tlrs, 9 ceilings 1 decorative fp4c. $109,500 MyinaSkillmg 312-266-7000 1505 WILSON 1st floor gutted Vintage 3-flat 2BR1BA enhanced wstained glass picture window imarble surround wbfp.

$99,500 Julie UBarge 312-266-7000 NEW AT 3750 LAKE SHORE! Spacious 1600 si 28R wnewer kit, crown moldings, hdwd tlrs, 24hr doorman, indoor pool exercise rm. $85,000 Jeanne Winston 312-266-7000 720 GORDON TERRACE Wonderful full amenity building including pool, tennis 4 exercise rm. 2BR2BA on low floor with new floor in entry and kitchen. Recenfly painted. $79,900 Elbe Lavi 312-266-7000 NEW AT 132 DELAWARE! Absolutely beautiful large 2BR2BA w2058 sf.

Fabulous panoramic views east over lake and city! Top quality throughout Beautiful finishes. $760,000 Susanne Glmk 312-751-9100 399 FULLERTON Beautiful renovation of 3BRden2.5BA co-op. Gourmet kitchen, built-ins redone baths. Garage parking. Living dining room with wbfp.

$680,000 Gail Missner 312-751-9100 180 PEARSON 2BRden2.5BA NE corner unit in impeccable condition! Redone kit wgranite countertops newer appliances. Master BAwmarWe. $995,000 I.B. WeilBunny Snyder 312-751-9100 But now, Blake said, "the sound stage and the recording studio are hardly ever used they're sitting there like a huge white elephant We have a facility to screen movies here and there are no movie theaters in this area except for the Victoria, which is a few doors away. "I started free movies for kids in this area," Blake added.

"In the last four months, 8,000 kids have come through. I want to make this more of an educational and cultural resource for the community." One way she wants to do this is by using the Apollo's technical equipment to train young blacks in a variety of film jobs. The theater has a wish list of needs that ranges from telephones to filing cabinets to high-tech video equipment. Blake's tasks include raising money, revitalizing the 10-member board of directors known, by some observers, for its political posturing and internecine squabblesand expanding the theater's artistic venues. Blake has instituted a "buy a seat" campaign to raise $12.5 million.

Patrons can buy seats in tribute to any of the legion of the stars who have graced the stage, including such greats as Aretha Franklin, the Jackson Five, Sammy Davis Josephine Baker, Count Basie, Dinah Washington, Pearl Bailey, Ray Charles and Bill Cosby. Blake's plans include a Gospel Tribute to Rosa Parks, the woman whose refusal to give up a bus seat in Alabama was instrumental in sparking the civil rights demonstrations in the 1960s, and a black-tie benefit and tribute concert with Lionel Hampton. Blake, 59 and the mother of three, is a tall woman with a head of fluffy gray hair and an elegant but easy-going manner. She came to the United States from Trinidad during the. desegregation upheavals of the 1960s and made the leap from a series of secretarial jobs to her film career after visiting the set of the Sidney Poitier film "For Love of Ivy." She is hoping that her film industry connections will work to her advantage in her new realm.

She already has brought members of the Directors Guild of America to Harlem. need to support and I'm sure the community will." The four-story building, which was erected in 1913, closed in 1975 because its owners the family of Frank Schiffman, a former schoolteacher said thay felt they were losing too much money. The Apollo did not reopen until 1984. But it began to lose so much money again that by 1991, Percy E. Sutton, the entrepreneur and former Manhattan Borough President who had bought it with a group of investors at a bankruptcy sale, was ready to give it up.

By then, Sutton had presided over a $20 million renovation that was intended to make the Apollo the center of a revitalized West 125th Street, Harlem's main commercial strip. The money went intt) creating an entertainment complex with a recording studio and television production center; but the facilities were seldom used. In 1992, the investors transferred the building to the Apollo Theater Foundation. The nonprofit foundation was created with a mandate that included establishing a permanent public museum within the theater and a hall of fame, and to offer benefit performances and fundraisers for remodeling and maintenance. The first inductees to the hall of fame will include Nat (King) Cole, Moms Mabley, Duke Ellington and Bill (Bojanales) Robinson.

Construction of the hall is expected to cost $500,000. The theater has not been able to draw, on a regular basis, the big-name stars that made it famous. Yet more than 17,000 tourists and patrons come to the theater each month and the legendary Wednesday amateur night competition continues to be popular. The 12-member staff coordinates about 12 events a month. The glory days began in 1934, when the Apollo opened a "colored revue." In the following years, Sarah Vaughn, James Brown and the Jackson Five were among the many who won the amateur night competitions.

When the Beatles made their first trip to New York in 1964, they said the Apollo was the place they most wanted to visit. When there were riots in Harlem in 1966, the Apollo was untouched. Apollo Theater Foundation, envisions turning the landmark theater in the heart of Harlem into a world-class cultural magnet: a place to expose young African-Americans to the arts and to honor legendary entertainers like Billie Holiday and Count Basie, who graced the stage on 125th Street. "I came here and realized we have a gold mine," said Blake, who brings to her six-month-old job 25 years of experience in the film industry. "For whatever reason, it has not been tapped." To begin that process, the theater has signed Patti LaBelle for an appearance shortly, to be followed by B.B.

King, Bobby Blue Bland and Ruth Brown for a joint appearance that she hopes will attract a wide cross section of people. "It really and truly is a dream mission," Blake said, when asked about the daunting prospect of raising money for a small theater in a struggling neighborhood in a time of economic retrenchment. "I visualize what can happen with this place. I don't see the odds against it. It's a big challenge, but the challenge is the excitement." The Apollo is one of the icons of Harlem and of New York City, with a rich history that reflects the permutations of American race relations.

But it has lost millions of dollars since the late 1970s and still struggles to survive. The Apollo's decline in fortunes has been linked to that of Harlem's; community leaders see the theater's rebirth as integral to the community's growth. "Grace has an arduous task," said Warren S. Whitlock, the deputy executive director of Harlem Community Development Corp. "They need to create more artistic venues there.

It's critical to get more stars but big stars want to go to Madison Square Garden, the Meadowlands. "It's very critical this community understand we have a famous landmark institution we prHl In 2M0LAKEVIEW as, 3i tv it f- .1 ton! Architects own apartment) 1BR coop features diagonal wood tlrs, marble bath, custom details! 3800 LAKE SHORE DRIVE Pristine 3BR3BA wlake park views. New gourmet kitchen, new BAs, Great rm, WD, fireplace and oak floors. 2-car garage parking. Must seel $449,000 Susanne Glink 312-751-9100 1040 LAKE SHORE DRIVE Fabulous lake LSD views from designer's own 1BR2.5BA unit.

Custom features include new marble baths, walnut cabinetry new kitchen appt. $569,000 LB WeilBunny Snyder 3)2-751-9100 NEW AT 1210 ASTOR! Exquisite vintage duplex, 3300 sf with 3BRJ4BA High ceilings and 5 wbfps. Ultimate office level or live-in wsepa-rate entrance. $555,000 Gayte Spruance 3)2-751-9100 TWA fa' ZZ Susanne Glink 312-751-9100 NEW AT THE HANCOCK! Rarely available! Incredible lake 1 city views! 940 sf large 1BR in full amenity bldg. Indoor pool health club.

Freshly painted and brand new Leila Keene 312-266-7000 156 HURON i A great value! 1BR1.5BA wwbfp fp4c and large eat-in kitchen. High ceilings and flooded with light! $164,500 RoLebedow 312-266-7000 1960 LINCOLN PK WEST-NEW! Rarely avail 1BR wupgraded kitBA. Deeded pkng space! Great north lake views! Full amenity bldg. Bale. $127,900 Leila Keene 312-266-7000 1212 LASALLE- REDUCED! Spectacular south views of city wbalcony from this 1BR.

Deeded garage and 24hr doorman In impeccable 14,900 Sharon GiUman 312-751-9100 NEW AT 3520 LAKE SHORE! Rehabbefs dream! 1 BR wnew windows, radiators, original butler's pantry intact ready to be stripped and hardwood 175 DELAWARE Almost the top of the highest apartment in the world! Custom designed 3BR opened up to 26R. Marble floors, and custom mirroring. $519,000 Tara Pearl 312-751-9100 NEW AT 1501 STATE PKWYI A wonderful home offering gracious room sizes, beautiful finishes, and a Kfvate terrace with tree top views of orth State Pkwy. 3BR3BA. $695,000 R.

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Indoor pool! $50,000 JeanEmeson NEW AT 253 DELAWARE! 100 HURON Gorgeous west city lake views in raiefv avail "01" home. Eleaant contem Downtown Chicago 230 CAST OniflPIO 1240 LAKE SHORE DRIVE Stunning elegant 2000sf, 3BR on high floor wmany upgrades! New kit, wood firs, den wbuill-ins. Pkng avail. Only 2 apartments per floor. $385,000 Susan Miller 312-266-7000 1040 LAKE SHORE DRIVE Enjoy lake views from the balcony of lis 3BR4.5BA wluxurious Parent' I RafaeUi wood paneling 4 cabinetry.

Huge rms, marble wood. $995,000 Barbara Chubin 312-266-7000 porary customization and upgraded marble appointments. $599,000 Arlington Heights EVERGREEN COURT CONDOMINIUMS 1 and 2 Bedroom Condominium Homes Starting at $64,900 Large Streeterville studio has new windows, refrigerator range. Neutral grey carpeting i large kitchen. $47,500 312-751-9100 Tara Pearl 312-751-9100 HOI 3550 LAKE SHORE Studio on high floor wview of lake, city and park.

See the Cubs! Totally redone woak cabinets, new ceramic bath and neutral carpet $45,000 Fran McGinnis 312-266-7000 iliftU 1 Elevator building Shopping nearby Balconies, large courtyard FHA approved Pool and playground Quiet Community 1 and 2 Bedroom Condominiums Starting at $76,900 All new interior including your choice of appliances, cabinets, carpeting and flooring available. 24 hour doorman Duplex and custom designs available Walk to work and the Magnificant Mile 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms avilable Ask for the "BERBER CARPET" Special! Directions: Just east of Michigan Avenue on Ontario (312) 335-0230 mm ml 5056 MARINE mmm jmutt mi 1 Walk to everything from this sunny, wel ssiUsav ij maintaineo ibh nome. spacious wiove- 11 ly courtyard garden view. $42,500 Thorn Boyd 312-266-7000 Directions: Golf Rd. to Goebbert Rd.

(2nd traffic It. east of Arlington Ilts. Rd.) S. on Goebbert Rd. 12 mile to Falcon Dr.

W. on Falcon to 2222 Arlington Hts. (847) 228-8440 "SB 1318CEORCE 1 3740 LAKE SHORE DRIVE Wonderful spacious 3BR2BA vintage apartment wcontemporary touches. Marble foyer built-ins including breakfast nook. $329,000 Janet MurphyNan Vaile 312-751-9100 2512 BOSWORTH Immaculate 2BR2BA soil loft wsunny eastwest exposures.

Marble entry, 11' ceilings, oak tlrs, wbfp, walk-in closet, fount laundry, sec pkng. $225,000 Oak Park 0ak ark iSlace 312-266-7000 Hoffman Estates Huntington Club Townhomes and Condominium Homes Starting at $57,900 405 N. WABASH-REDUCED! Your own private view of the Wrigley Building! New individual resale! Rarely available high corner unit. Newly redone largest 1BR in building. $179,000 Louisa McPharlin 312-266-7000 411 SANGAMON Lots of loft in Westgate! This top Or 1BR2BA unit has stunning lake views.

kitchen wdouble entrance. $179,900 Mary Ellen Shannon 312-266-7000 NEW AT 2600 SOUTHPORT! Luxurious Embassy Ckib loft with private patio Beautiful oak floors, wbfp, WD and open breakfast bar. $172,000 LB. WeilBunny Snyder 312-751-9100 NEW AT 1100 CORNELIA! Cornelia village soft loft duplex wpabo in courtyard bldg. 2 story living rm w20ft ceils, Euro-kit, hdwd (Irs, wbfp.

$169,900 Charna Thomas 312-266-7000 331 PEORIA- REDUCED! Desirable I spacious 2BR2.5BA loft wspiit floor plan in preferred tier. Washerdryer In unit $1 56,000 Leila Keene 312-266-7000 1100 LAKE SHORE DRIVE Fabulous high floor duplex at an excellent price! 3BR converted to 2BR. Marvelous lake views! Many upgrades including ceramic tile in kit. $370,000 Gloria Narrod 312-751-9)00 1322 WABASH Sunny south views from this 2BR1.5BA loft. Raised level 2nd BR makes great den.

HdwdTirs, Euro-kitchen. $149500 MikeLamendcta 312-266-7000 1100 CORNELIA Highly upgraded soft loft duplex wpatJo pkng. Enhanced w20ft. ceilings, custom entertainment cntr WD. $138,900 Miketamendola 312-266-7000 2828 BURLING 2-story loft, popular building, great location! Cook's kitchen, wbfp, In-unit laundry, covered deeded pkng, $1 34,900 Phyllis Jacobson 312-266-7000 NEW AT 411 SANGAMON! East facing bright unit! 1 2fl beamed ceils, exposed brick, maple llrs, raised chef's delight kitchen.

$119,999 RoLebedow 312-266-7000 nave it your wayi uustomize mis cuuu sr loft space wpenthouse plus deck, garage, elevator "atrium. $365,000 I Ralph Ofiva 312-266-7000 i ST, MICHAEL'S i Wonderful soft M. 3BR2.5BA oners lofl-1 1 ed family room, 2-story living room com-tbination. Deeded parking. $329,000 Gloria Narrod 312-751-9100 i'3252KENMORE-305 School St.

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1985 Huntington Hoffman Estates. (847) 882-9392 Certain restrictions apply. Exp. 22996 Hours: Daily 10-6 Saturday 10-5 Sunday 12-5 Mount Prospect Birch Manor Condominiums "Where Space Takes On A New Meaning" Extra Large 1 and 2 Bedroom Condominiums Starting at $64,900 911-915 GORDON TERRACE Only 2 units left! Quality new conversion offers a variety ol floor plans w1, 2 and 3BRs. Sun rooms in al units.

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si; i Brokers Invited Minutes to 1-90, Rte. 53 and Woodfield Mall Vita course, fitness center Directions: Rte. 83 to Dempster, West 12 mile to Birch Manor. 722 West Dempster, Mt." Prospect. (847) 439-1127 FTLMWORKS LOFTS 1322 S.

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4BRs3.5BAs. Unique master suite has loft. Separate 4th BRBA. $579,000 Ralph Oka 312-266-7000 i Equal Housing Inland Great Lakes opportune 1 The Full Service Condominium Conversion Company 2901 Butter-field Road Oak Brook Illinois 60521 '111 -ibH-Hit nWMfur uig because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, financial status or national origin. I.