World-renowned Steppenwolf Theatre begins expansion

Steppenwolf Theatre (Google Street View)

The world-renowned Steppenwolf Theatre Co. has broken ground on a multiyear expansion of its campus in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood. 

One of the nation's premier ensemble theaters moved forward this month with a theater building to open in 2021. It will be 50,000 square feet (4,600 square meters) and include a 400-seat in-the-round theater only six rows deep. 

It will have a dedicated education floor. Officials say that will triple the theater's space devoted to its education work. 

Complementing the theater core will be a two-story atrium lobby, a wine bar and a sidewalk lounge. 

It is designed by Gordon Gill of Adrian Smith and Gordon Gill Architecture and the London-based theater-design team Charcoalblue. 

Steppenwolf has won a series of Tony Awards and The National Medal of Arts.