important rapp and rapp-designed two toned orange-glazed exterior southtown theater terra cotta panel

the spanish revival style southtown theater (demolished) was designed and built for balaban and katz by the notable chicago-based architectural firm of rapp and rapp (chicago, uptown, etc.) in 1931. located on the south side of chicago, the southtown was one of the last major movie palaces ever built in chicago. the stucco-covered theater's most distinctive exterior feature was its massive tower, which was more than 90 feet tall with brightly lit oversized neon letters containing the word “southtown" adorning all four sides.