A plan to bring stage-based and up-close magic to a new, permanent home in the Uptown neighborhood reached an important milestone this week as the Chicago Magic Lounge filed its official zoning application with the City. The requested change—a move from B3-2 up to a B3-5 designation—would allow the group to move from its shared venue at the Uptown Underground at 4707 N. Broadway to a dedicated location in a former laundromat building at 5050 N. Clark Street.

Designed by Morris Architects Planners, the plan calls for a 100-seat cabaret and bar plus a one-story vertical expansion to accommodate a mezzanine overlooking the performance areas. Chicago Magic Lounge member Luis Carreon told DNAinfo in June that he hopes the new Uptown space will continue Chicago’s long history of up-close magic and that it could become the Windy City’s version of LA’s famous Magic Castle.

The new lounge hopes to open to the public in 2018.