Following the demolition of a former two-storey parking garage and clearing of the site, 1101 S Wabash is set to begin construction. The 30-storey 281-key hotel is set to occupy the prime downtown location when it opens in late 2018. Located just south of the Chicago Loop, and within easy walking distance to the waterfront, the future Homewood Hilton Hotel will take up 196 rooms within the tower, while the rest will consist of long-term rooms. This is part of a recent local trend that has seen an uptick in hospitality-based development projects over the last few years. 

1101 S Wabash, image via Lothan Van Hook DeStefano

Designed by local firm Lothan Van Hook DeStefano, 1101 S Wabash will feature a smooth, glass curtain wall exterior, punctuated at the 8th and 30th storeys by a series of indented windows. The bulk of the hotel tower will rest above a seven-storey podium, comprising six levels of above ground parking and a mixed-use, ground-level lobby paired with 3,500 square feet of retail space. 

1101 S Wabash build site in late December 2016, image by Forum contributor harryc

Set to go up at the corner of S Wabash and E 11th Street, the new development will join several others that have risen in the area over the last few years. Recently, the neighbourhood has become a mix of historic and modern mid- to highrise structures, though the south end of the Loop has traditionally been a high-density area. Viewed below from a Google Street View capture from last summer, the surrounding urban context can be further appreciated, as 1101 S Wabash is set to go up within an area already well known for its urban vibrancy. 

S Wabash and E 11th Street, August 2016, image via Google Street View

Estimated at $15 million, 1101 S Wabash will be the latest Chicago development to bear the Hilton brand. The hotel will place guests within close proximity to several of the city's main attractions and landmarks, and will be located just steps away from the Roosevelt CTA Station. Viewed below, work crews have reappeared on site, and excavation should soon get underway.

Work crews on-site, late December 2016, image by Forum contributor harryc

SkyriseCities will be sure to return to this project as progress continues. For more information, check out the associated Database file and Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.