Chicago Athletic Association — Chicago, USA

It’s a city well documented for its love of sport. In fact, in 1890, a string of the most influential sports and business families, from Spalding to Wrigley, came together to form the Chicago Athletic Association, a hub for the Chicagoan elite and one of the most revered social clubs in the nation. Now, the Henry Ives Cobb-designed building – which received landmark status in 2002 – re-opens its doors to its new life as a 241-room hotel. Restored by local firm Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture and New York-based design team, Roman and Williams, the property – part of John Pritzker’s Commune Hotels and Resorts collection – is a tribute to the club’s storied past, retaining much of it’s original details, from its Venetian Gothic façade, to the stained glass windows, marble staircases and grand ballroom. With a rooftop bar, food concepts that include restaurateur Danny Meyer’s Shake Shack and an interactive game room, no doubt, Chicago’s newest hotel is on track to become the social hub it once was.
ADDRESS
12 S. Michigan Avenue
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Pei-Ru Keh is a former US Editor at Wallpaper*. Born and raised in Singapore, she has been a New Yorker since 2013. Pei-Ru held various titles at Wallpaper* between 2007 and 2023. She reports on design, tech, art, architecture, fashion, beauty and lifestyle happenings in the United States, both in print and digitally. Pei-Ru took a key role in championing diversity and representation within Wallpaper's content pillars, actively seeking out stories that reflect a wide range of perspectives. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children, and is currently learning how to drive.
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