Suburb May Produce, Direct Theater's Sequel

BARRINGTON, IL-Village officials in this affluent northwest suburb of Chicago could hire an appraiser Monday to determine the value of the historic Catlow theater and explore forming a not-for-profit corporation to own and operate it. Trustees also may purchase an option on the property, at a cost likely to crack six figures, buying time for the not-for-profit corporation to raise the cost of buying and rehabbing the Downtown moviehouse.

The 75-year-old Catlow has been on the market since late summer, but no takers have been found at its $2-million-plus asking price. Northfield, IL-based National Realty Network broker Kris Keller no formal offers have been received, though he has had a “lot of discussions with a lot of different people.”

An area resident who has sat in on meetings concerning the theater’s future, Keller welcomes the possibility of a village-backed purchaser.