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The Founding of Roosevelt University: The Legacy of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt

History of the University

Commitment to Social Justice

Auditorium Building
Campuses

Since 1947, Roosevelt's home has been the famous Auditorium Building. Completed in 1890, the building is considered the masterpiece of architects Dankmar Adler and Louis Sullivan. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and was declared a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1975. In 1976, the Auditorium Building was designated a Chicago Landmark by the Chicago City Council. Construction of the Herman Crown Center, a residence hall and student services area adjacent to the Auditorium Building, took place in 1970-71.

Auditorium Theater

The Auditorium Theater is part of the Auditorium Building, the downtown campus of Roosevelt University. It is a National Historic Landmark -and deservedly so.

The architects, Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler, put a hotel, offices and the superb Auditorium Theater all within the same building, a revolutionary concept at the time. When the building opened, it was referred to as the eighth wonder of the world..

The opening night audience in the theater was dazzled by a display of more than ten thousand electric lights, a spectacular event for the time; this was in 1889. The President and Vice-President of the United States attended as well as many other dignitaries.

Over the years it was a venue for concerts, recitals, opera and conventions. In 1929, the opera moved to a new building, the Civic Opera House, and the theater closed for a time. During the second World War, the building became a center for the armed forces. In four years, more than 22 million servicemen were housed, fed, and entertained. In 1946 the building was purchased by Roosevelt University and over the years the theater has been restored to its rightful place as the queen of theaters in Chicago.

The Auditorium Theater is now in a new era, featuring shows and stars of the highest caliber. Among the shows it has hosted in the last few years are "Les Miserables", "Phantom of the Opera,  "Miss Saigon", and "Showboat".

Campuses

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Chicago  430 S. Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60605 | 312-341-3500
Schaumburg 1400 N. Roosevelt Blvd, Schaumburg, IL 60173 | 847-619-7300