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.
