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Built in 1923 at 360 Michigan Avenue on the banks of the Chicago River, the London Guarantee & Accident Building is one of local architect Alfred S. Alschuler's most notable works. The edifice was noticeably influenced by the City Beautiful architectural movement, that intended to bring beautification and monumental grandeur to North American cities. Of significant historical and architectural importance, the building received city landmark status in 1996. Originally designed as an office tower, changing regulations in building code and the current taste for large, open workspaces have made the building close to unusable for most companies.
After several years spent mostly vacant and in great need of renovations, Oxford Capital Group purchased the building with plans to convert it into a 452-room hotel. As a result, it has recently been completely gutted and renovated to its former grandeur, with the facade's limestone cleaned up, interior mouldings revealed, and the former office floors converted into brand new hotel rooms. Attached to the eastern facade of the building, on the parking lot located between the latter and the Mather Tower, a new 21-storey glass addition designed by Goettsch Partners is also being constructed in order to accommodate a larger number of rooms.
Named the LondonHouse Hotel in reference to both the original name of the building and the famous music club that once called it home, the hotel will have its main entrance at 77 East Wacker Drive, within the modern portion of the complex. As seen in the picture above, the base of the LondonHouse Hotel will offer two levels of retail spaces and a ground floor restaurant, for a total of 2000 square metres. The 21st floor and rooftops are being converted into a bar and lounge area, while the distinctive cupola topping the historic structure will be accessible to the public, offering incredible views of the Chicago River and the city.
While the redevelopment of the historic property started in the summer of 2013 and work on the Wacker Drive addition began in December 2014, completion is currently scheduled for the Spring of 2016. In the meantime, more information is available on our dedicated Database page and Forum thread, where you can participate in the conversation about this project.
