House music changed the world. And it all began at the Warehouse, where DJ Frankie Knuckles created house music.
A petition to preserve the birthplace of House music in Chicago is less than 3000 signatures away from its goal. The venue in question opened its doors as The Warehouse: a club where Frankie Knuckles created House music in order to soundtrack a space for Chicago’s Black LGBTQ+ Community in 1977. Though it closed five years later, it is widely regarded as a consequential place where a fusion of R&B, Disco, and Gospel sounds formed a genre that helped influence dance colors to this day.
The three-story property on 206 Jefferson Street is under new ownership as of December last year. They have listed the property for demolition and new development. The City of Chicago has the authority to list this venue as a Chicago Historical Landmark, barring anyone from demolishing or altering the construction. Outreach Non-Profit Organization Preservation Chicago is advocating for this designation, listing it amongst the 7 most endangered spaces in the city. As the arguably biggest venue in the history of Dance Music as we know it, The Warehouse is a place that deserves to remain intact as it was back then.
You can sign this petition right here and get a full breakdown of the venue’s history on Preservation Chicago’s Website.
Leave a Reply