Access Contemporary Music eyes shuttered 7-Eleven for music school, venue

Seth Boustead said he's seen the former 7-Eleven storefront at 4116 N. Clark St. sit empty for ages.

But now the executive director of Access Contemporary Music wants to breathe new life into the vacant Lake View property with plans to create a space for music performances and education. The nonprofit's mission is teaching music and making it accessible to all ages.

“I think it would be perfect,” Boustead said. “For us, we hope that it solves a lot of problems.”

The organization wants to change the property's zoning so it can turn it into ACM's fourth location, which Boustead describes as a hybrid between performance and small class education.

The zoning change is still “seeking feedback,” according to the website of Ald. Angela Clay (46th), but ACM is hopeful it could open the Lake View location by the end of October.

The nonprofit operates a school in Avondale, Rogers Park and Ravenswood, but Boustead said it's always looking to expand. And the Lake View location would offer something different for visitors and students.

Besides music classes, ACM often hosts concerts and festivals. It's been harder for the organization and chamber ensembles to book venues since the pandemic, Boustead said. He also said Chicago lacks a mid-size venue that’s affordable for artists.

The difficulty inspired ACM to hunt for a new location that could accommodate both classes and concerts that could seat up to 60 people.

The former 7-Eleven site served as a perfect location, Boustead said, because it'd be a linchpin in an arts corridor that has Mercury Theater Chicago and Music Box Theater less than a mile south.

There's ample public transit nearby, and it would “be a big boon” for other chamber ensembles. The venue could host classical, contemporary, jazz and experimental acts, and more.

“This venue is so accessible,” Boustead said. “One of my big pitches to the city was that we would be creating this arts corridor. We would be the thing in the middle of it. I think that’s really exciting.”

Plans by Chicago-based JDJ Architects show three practice rooms, a green room and a performance space that could seat about 50 people. The main performance space could also double as a class space, accommodating between 30 to 60 students.

“We've been able to host small salon concerts for like 20 people, but we've never been able to do something that has a stage,” Boustead said.

Performances would take place Thursday through Sunday, according to Clay, and the space would close by 10 p.m.

It would also include a bar since selling drinks during concerts would help drive revenue, Boustead said, adding that it also opens the door for events like wine and concert pairings. There's even plans to serve coffee during the day, though no hours have been set.

ACM will have parking on site, but it's unclear how many spaces.

Lease negotiations

While ACM has big plans for the property, there's still a lot that needs to happen before it can come to life — namely, having a lease.

As of Thursday, the nonprofit hasn’t signed a lease for the building. Boustead said the hope is to move forward with a contract in June.

The building is being marketed by Frontline Real Estate Partners, who didn’t immediately return a request for comment.

Marketing materials for the 2,585-square-foot building lists the lease rate as $30 per square foot — “a lot,” Boustead said, and another reason why having a bar would be crucial.

Property records show it's owned by Heidner Property Management Co., owned by Illinois video gambling mogul Rick Heidner.

“We are working with Access Contemporary Music, and we feel this would be a wonderful asset to the community,” Heidner said in a statement.

Heidner and his wife, Alisa, were hit with a $5 million lien by the IRS for failing to pay that much in past-due federal income taxes, the Sun-Times reported in July 2023. At the time, representatives for the couple said they agreed to a payment plan. The lien has since been released.

Residential to commercial

Despite being the former home of a 7-Eleven, the property is currently zoned residential and will need to be rezoned as commercial before ACM can set up shop.

Ald. Clay’s office said it had no comment on the proposed zoning change but anticipates having more to share in the coming weeks.

“Ald. Clay has been nothing but supportive,” Boustead said. “She's been amazing.”

The Graceland West Community Association has also voiced support. The neighborhood group said in a news release that its members voted in favor of both changing the zoning and approving a liquor license if the tenant is ACM. The vote came after a neighborhood meeting held May 7 in the ward.

If approved, the project will be funded in part through a grant from the Department of Planning and Development. The grant will cover 75% of the build-out costs, up to $250,000.

Total construction costs are still unknown, but Boustead estimated it could be around $300,000.

He said the project is something ACM has never done before and would be a significant step forward.

“We plan to be a very good neighbor,” Boustead said. “We plan to do things that are the reflective of and inclusive of the community … we want it to be something that is a gem in the community.”