United Center Italian Favorite La Lucé Closes After 27 Years

The West Loop's transformation continues, as a Near West Side landmark's days appear numbered. La Lucé Italian Restaurant, a neighborhood standby for those around the United Center, is closed. Eater Chicago's sibling publication Curbed Chicago reported that the 124-year-old building obscured by L tracks that housed the restaurant may soon have a date with a wrecking ball.

Despite the closure, La Lucé's neon sign's red and green lights remain lit at night —though the dining room remains dark with chairs on top of tables. The restaurant's phones are disconnected and Yelp users also said the restaurant has been closed since June. Likewise, their GrubHub page is offline.

The restaurant opened in 1989, and the restaurant drew crowds during the Chicago Stadium's final years. Before La Lucé, the space housed a bar, but the Victorian building erected in 1892 now faces demolition.

An email to Michael Moretti, whose family owned the restaurant, was not returned.

Update: Moretti called on Thursday afternoon and wished to thank his customers through the years and said he appreciated their business. While the restaurant is closed, he wanted to stress that demolition isn't a foregone conclusion. The new owners, which haven't taken control of the building yet, may not elect to use the wrecking ball. For more of Moretti's comments, check back later.