TimeLine Theatre Company and national interdisciplinary design firm HGA are pleased to share new design details for TimeLine’s future home in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. This transformative project combines new construction with the adaptive reuse of a warehouse at 5035 N. Broadway into a transparent, flexible, and community-focused performance venue. Opening in Spring 2026, the 33,600-square-foot building redefines modern theatre, more than doubles TimeLine’s previous seating capacity, fosters community engagement, and creates spaces for both performances and everyday public life. Architectural preview tours are planned to begin in March 2026, with professional exterior and interior photography to follow in Spring 2026.
For nearly 30 years, TimeLine Theatre has been a vital force in Chicago’s arts scene, producing socially and politically relevant work inspired by history that engages audiences across the region. Building on this legacy, HGA’s design reimagines the warehouse into a vibrant cultural destination that honors Uptown’s rich theatrical heritage while meeting modern performance needs.
Design renderings of TimeLine’s new home at 5035 N. Broadway (Credit: HGA).
View and download these and more images here.
The project combines 21,000 square feet of new construction on the west side fronting North Broadway—bringing together a state-of-the-art theater, gallery and rehearsal spaces, as well as public amenities that invite community engagement—with 12,600 square feet of adaptive reuse of a 1920s Reebie Bros. warehouse on the east, thoughtfully repurposed to house performance support spaces and offices. The site is easily visible from the newly renovated Argyle CTA Red Line station, establishing a dynamic hub that engages thousands of daily commuters and theatergoers from across the Chicago region.
“From the beginning, our goal was to create a building that feels open and welcoming, inviting the Uptown community inside and reflecting TimeLine Theatre’s mission of engaging audiences with meaningful stories,” said Nat Madson, design principal at HGA. “Every design decision—from the transparent rehearsal spaces to the flexible black box theater—supports creativity, connection and long-term adaptability.”
The building’s exterior is defined by a striking sense of verticality, with a contemporary warehouse character that establishes a vibrant setting for cultural production. The massing draws inspiration from the iconic theaters of Uptown Chicago—the “Grand Dames”—and their enduring cultural significance. Echoing this legacy, the new structure reinterprets classic theater forms while embracing a forward-looking approach. Vertical precast concrete panels echo the original brick detailing, a dusky aubergine color references the former warehouse, and a vertical swath of glass curtain wall features a bird-safe frit pattern. A green storefront canopy, along with the street-level bar and café and sunny terrace, nods to local landmarks including Sun Wah BBQ and the Green Mill, creating a welcoming, pedestrian-scaled entrance.
Exterior renderings include this view from the newly opened Argyle CTA Red Line station (Credit: HGA)
View and download these and more images here.
AT THE HEART OF THE DESIGN: WHERE CREATIVITY AND COMMUNITY MEET
The centerpiece of the building is a flexible 250-seat black box theater, more than double TimeLine’s previous 99-seat venue. Designed with intentional flexibility, it accommodates seven stage configurations and immersive installations. Advanced sound isolation addresses challenges posed by the nearby train line, ensuring an immersive theatrical experience.
Public-facing spaces encourage community engagement. A prominent glass curtain wall completes the Broadway façade, providing visibility to interior spaces and highlighting the building’s cultural presence. Public areas include a street-level bar and café with terrace, exhibit galleries, and a flexible education and community room for meetings, lectures, classes, and more. Intimate seating areas foster informal social connections, while a vitrine-like bay window from the lobby staircase animates the sidewalk experience. A fourth-floor light-filled rehearsal and event space overlooks North Broadway, further extending engagement with the community.
Back-of-house spaces are organized around a central Green Room, intended as a “living room” for staff, artists, and collaborators, fostering dialogue and creative exchange.
“Our new home is more than a theatre; it’s a place where the community can gather, learn, and be inspired,” said Mica Cole, Executive Director of Timeline Theatre. “HGA’s design preserves the intimacy of our productions while opening the doors wider than ever, allowing neighbors, students, and audiences from across the region to engage with the arts in new ways.”
Project highlights include:
- Total facility spanning 33,600 square feet, combining new construction and adaptive reuse
- 21,000 square feet of new construction along North Broadway
- 12,600 square feet of adaptive reuse of a 1920s Reebie Bros. warehouse for performance support and offices
- Flexible 250-seat black box theater with seven stage configurations and advanced acoustic and staging systems
- Street-level bar and café with sunny terrace, exhibit galleries, and education/community room
- Publicly visible fourth floor rehearsal and event space
- Adjacent space available for future expansion
Designed as a stage for both art and community, the new TimeLine Theatre will become a lasting cultural destination, supporting performance, learning and engagement in Uptown for decades to come. Additional project updates, including interior design details, new imagery and tour information, will be released as the opening approaches.
Interior renderings include (top) the street-level bar and café, (middle) TimeLine's new Green Room, and (bottom) a view out to North Broadway from the second floor interior balcony (Credit: HGA). View and download these and more images here.
ABOUT TIMELINE THEATRE COMPANY
TimeLine Theatre Company, recipient of the prestigious 2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, was founded in April 1997 with a mission to present stories inspired by history that connect with today's social and political issues. As it celebrates this milestone 29th season, TimeLine has presented 96 productions, including 16 world premieres and 43 Chicago premieres, and launched the Living History Education Program and TimeLine South summer arts program, which bring the company’s mission to life for students in Chicago Public Schools and beyond. Recipient of the Alford- Axelson Award for Nonprofit Managerial Excellence and the Richard Goodman Strategic Planning Award from the Association for Strategic Planning, TimeLine has received 64 Jeff Awards, including an award for Outstanding Production 11 times.
TimeLine is led by Artistic Director PJ Powers, Executive Director Mica Cole, and Board President Thaddeus J. Malik. TimeLine Company members are Will Allan, Nick Bowling, Janet Ulrich Brooks, Behzad Dabu, Charles Andrew Gardner, Lara Goetsch, Juliet Hart, Anish Jethmalani, Mildred Marie Langford, Mechelle Moe, David Parkes, Ron OJ Parson, PJ Powers, Maren Robinson, and Helen Young.
Major corporate, government and foundation donors providing season support via TimeLine’s Annual Fund include Abe and Ida Cooper Foundation; Bayless Family Foundation; Bulley & Andrews, LLC; Carol Oppenheim and Jerome Lamet Charitable Fund; Crown Family Philanthropies; Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation; Laughing Acres Family Foundation; Lloyd A. Fry Foundation; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Polk Bros. Foundation; The Shubert Foundation; and Walder Foundation. TimeLine also acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
For more information, visit timelinetheatre.com, or Facebook or Instagram (@TimeLineTheatre on both platforms)
ABOUT HGA
HGA is a national interdisciplinary design firm committed to making a positive, lasting impact for our clients and communities through research-based, holistic solutions. We believe that great design requires a sense of curiosity—forming deep insight into our clients, their contexts, and the human condition. We are a collective of over 1,000 architects, engineers, interior designers, planners, researchers, and strategists. Our practice spans multiple markets, including science and technology, corporate, cultural, education, local and federal government, and healthcare. Visit HGA.com or follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.