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| {{Infobox building | |||
| {{wikify}}{{tone}} | |||
| | name = InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile | |||
| {{Primarysources|date=December 2006}} | |||
| | image = Intercontinental (5510844868).jpg | |||
| {{cleanup-rewrite|Its like a storybook. Needs to be cleaned up as well.}} | |||
| | caption = | |||
| | address = 505 Michigan Avenue | |||
| | location = ], ], United States | |||
| | coordinates = {{coord|41.8912|-87.6237|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} | |||
| | roof = {{convert|471|ft|m|abbr=on}} | |||
| | floor_count = 26 (North Tower)<br />42 (Executive Tower) | |||
| | status = Complete | |||
| | architect = ] | |||
| }} | |||
| '''InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile''' is a hotel in ], United States. The hotel currently occupies two ]s. The historic tower, or "South Tower," is a {{convert|471|ft|adj=on}}, 42-story building which was completed in 1929 originally as the home of the '''Medinah Athletic Club'''.<ref name=EmporisSouthTower>{{usurped|1=}}</ref> The new tower, or "North Tower" is a {{convert|295|ft|adj=on}}, 26-story addition, completed in 1961.<ref name=Emporis1961NorthTower>{{usurped|1=}}</ref> | |||
| 1929 was a significant year for American architecture. Unaware of the approaching Stock Market crash that would stall the progress of any new projects, the nation was in the midst of a building boom. In New York City, where the metallic Art-Deco spire of the Chrysler Building was nearing completion, an architect named Walter W. Ahlschlager was preparing to debut three new projects. The first, the Beacon Hotel and Theatre on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, came on the heels of his other recent New York creation, the 5,920 seat Roxy Theatre. The second was the 49 story Carew Tower in downtown Cincinnati, which remains the tallest building in that city today. And finally, a 42 story tower commissioned by the Shrine Organization to become the future home of the Medinah Athletic Club in Chicago, the birthplace of the skyscraper. Although his selection for the latter project had been the result of a design competition, it was widely speculated that with so many other notable buildings on his resume, his appointment was practically preordained. | |||
| InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile is a member of ], the official program of the ].<ref name=hha>{{cite web |title=InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, a Historic Hotels of America member|url=http://www.historichotels.org/hotels-resorts/intercontinental-chicago-magnificent-mile/ |website=Historic Hotels of America |access-date=May 10, 2024}}</ref> | |||
| The Chicago skyline welcomed the addition of many new buildings that year. The Burnham Brothers’ Art-Deco style Carbon and Carbide Building at 230 N. Michigan Avenue made a bold statement with its dark green polished stone and gold detailing. On the opposite end of the avenue, famed architects Holabird and Root were debuting their Palmolive Building, which would become one of the country’s premiere Art-Deco style “set-back” skyscrapers. Its navigational Lindbergh Beacon could be seen from the air as far away as 225 miles, lighting up the night sky from atop the towers’ highest point. Many years later, from 1965 through 1989, this Chicago landmark would become known as the Playboy Building because of its world famous tenant. Another Holabird and Root building, The Chicago Board of Trade, had also begun to rise in the city’s Loop district, with its unrelieved vertical face providing a dramatic termination to LaSalle Street. | |||
| == History == | |||
| The Medinah Athletic Club, in contrast, would combine elements of many different architectural styles. At the eighth floor, its Indiana limestone facade was decorated by three large relief carvings in ancient Assyrian style. Each frieze depicted a different scene, with Wisdom represented on the north wall, Consecration on the west, and Contribution on the south. The figures in all three scenes are said to be modeled after the faces of club members at the time of its design. Three Sumerian warriors were also carved into the facade at the twelfth floor setback, directly above the Michigan Avenue entrance, and remain visible today. | |||
| ===Medinah Athletic Club=== | |||
| Before the ] crash of 1929, the United States was experiencing a building boom. One of these projects was the future home of the ] in Chicago, commissioned by the ] and designed by architect ].<ref name="Gapp"/> The Chicago Shriners Club purchased the property at the northeast corner of Michigan Avenue and Illinois Street directly north of the Tribune Tower for $1 million,{{citation needed|date=July 2016}} while $5 million more was spent on building and equipping what was then to be the 42 story Medinah Athletic Club. The plan was for there to be 3500 members, all of whom had to be a Shriner; at the time of the announcement in 1925, 1000 Shriners had taken out founder memberships for the club.<ref>Chicago Tribune, November 22, 1925</ref> The ceremony to lay the cornerstone of the Medinah Athletic Club was held on November 5, 1928, and to commemorate the occasion, a copper time capsule was placed within the cornerstone. The capsule, which currently remains sealed within the hotel's limestone exterior, contains records of the organization, photographs of members, and a copy of the Chicago Tribune announcing the proposal of the building, as well as coins and other historic data. Construction of the building's 42 floors and 440 guest rooms was completed in 1929, and its facilities were made available for the exclusive use of the club's members and guests.<ref>Chicago Tribune, April 14, 1929</ref> | |||
| ===Design=== | |||
| The exotic gold dome, which is Moorish in influence, originated as part of a decorative docking port for dirigibles before the Hindenburg disaster changed the country’s mind about the future of travel by blimp. Years later, the building would lose several feet with the dismantling of an ornamental canopy on the small turret north of the dome. This chimney-like structure was originally intended to assist in the docking of these air ships, but was never used. Inside the dome, a glass cupola and spiral iron staircase resembling the top of a lighthouse led down to the hotel’s upper elevator landing. | |||
| {{Unreferenced section|date=March 2019}} | |||
| The Medinah Athletic Club building was intended to combine elements of many architectural styles.<ref name="Gapp"/> At the eighth floor, its Indiana limestone facade was decorated by three large relief carvings in ancient Assyrian style.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Hotel History in Chicago, Illinois - InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile |url=https://www.historichotels.org/us/hotels-resorts/intercontinental-chicago-magnificent-mile/history.php |access-date=2024-05-02 |website=Historic Hotels Worldwide |language=en}}</ref> Each frieze depicted a different scene in the order of constructing a building, with Contribution on the south wall, Wisdom represented on the west wall and Consecration on the north. (According to an article in the ''Chicago Tribune'' from Sept 16, 1928 entitled “Building art inspires panels”: “The friezes were designed by George Unger, in collaboration with Walter Ahlschlager, and carved by ]. The figures are costumed in the period of the building, which is that of an old fortress in Mesopotamia in Xerxes time, about 5th century BC. The theme of the panels as explained by Mr. Unger, was inspired by the history of construction of any building. The south panel starts the story. Here a magnificent cortege is displayed. This panel, termed Contribution, signifies the getting together of treasures for the construction of the building. In the west panel, facing Michigan Avenue, a ruler is shown with his counselors and an architect is shown bringing in a model of the building planned. The north panel shows the consecration of the building after it has been built. A priest is sacrificing a white bull whose blood will be mixed with crushed grapes and poured into the earth. A monkey trainer and his animals are shown. Since the animals represented bigotry in the ancient drawings, they are shown here in leash as symbolic belief that bigotry has no place in the Masonic order.”) The figures in all three scenes are said to be modeled after the faces of club members at the time of its design. Three Sumerian warriors were also carved into the facade at the twelfth-floor setback, directly above the Michigan Avenue entrance, and remain visible today. | |||
| Extending the Moorish imagery, the building is topped by a gold-painted dome.<ref name=":0" /> In the tower beneath the great dome, the club featured a miniature golf course on the twenty-third floor, complete with water hazards and a wandering brook; also a shooting range, billiards hall, running track, gymnasium, archery range, bowling alley, two-story boxing arena, and a junior Olympic size swimming pool<ref name=":0" /> - all this in addition to the ballrooms, meeting rooms, and 440 guest rooms which were available for the exclusive use of the club's 3,500 members and their guests. ] | |||
| In the heart of the tower beneath it, the club featured a twenty third floor miniature golf course, complete with water hazards and a wandering brook, a shooting range, a billiards hall, a running track, a gymnasium, an archery range, a bowling alley, a two story boxing arena, and a junior Olympic size swimming pool. All of this in addition to the ballrooms, corporate meeting rooms, and 440 guest rooms which were available for the exclusive use of the club’s 3,500 members and their guests. The pool, with its blue Spanish majolica tiles and terra-cotta fountain of Neptune on its east wall, is one of the hotel’s few features which to this day remains virtually untouched. At the time of its unveiling, it was one of the highest indoor pools in the world, and its fourteenth floor location was heralded as a feat of engineering. Today it is commonly referred to as the Johnny Weismuller pool, a testament to the famous Olympic athlete and actor who trained in its waters. The rows of seats which remain on its western wall recall the days when swimming was a popular spectator sport. The elegant Grand Ballroom, a two story, one hundred foot long elliptical space, was decorated with Egyptian, Assyrian, and Greek ornament and surrounded by a horseshoe shaped mezzanine. In its center hung a 12,000 pound Baccarat crystal chandelier, the largest in North America. The King Arthur Court, a far more masculine room built to function as the men’s smoking lounge, featured heavy timbering, stained glass, and a mural depicting the stories of King Arthur and Parsifal. Because the club was originally built as a men’s club, there were only designated areas in which women were allowed. They were given a separate entrance and elevator to visit the Grand Ballroom for social gatherings or to access the Women’s Plunge, Lounge and Tea Room. At that time, the women also had access to an outdoor loggia overlooking Michigan Avenue and decorated to evoke the feeling of a Venetian terrace, perched high above the Adriatic Sea. | |||
| At the time, the pool was one of the highest indoor pools in the world,<ref name="Kerch" /> and its fourteen-floor location was heralded as a grand feat of engineering. Today it is commonly referred to as the ] pool, after the famous Olympic athlete and actor who trained in it. The rows of seats which remain on its western wall recall the days when swimming was a popular spectator sport. Its blue Spanish majolica tiles and terra-cotta fountain of Neptune on its east wall remain virtually unchanged today. | |||
| When the club finally opened, it was criticized by many for its “wasteful extravagance,” although in time it+s eclectic mix of multicultural styles would become widely recognized as a genuine historical treasure. With only 32 percent occupancy upon its opening, many saw this elaborate fortress of excess as overly decadent, but it never failed to keep the architectural community talking. | |||
| The elegant Grand Ballroom, a two-story, {{convert|100|ft|adj=on}} elliptical space, was decorated with ornaments in Egyptian, Assyrian, and Greek styles and was surrounded by a horseshoe-shaped mezzanine. In its center hung a 12,000-pound Baccarat crystal chandelier, the largest in North America.<ref name=":0" /> | |||
| Although October 29th of that year would become known as the “Blackest Day in Stock Market History,” it would be another four years before the effects of this financial disaster would force the Shriners to file for bankruptcy. In 1934 they lost their beloved clubhouse, and in the decade that followed the building went through various incarnations, including a brief stint as residential apartments. In 1944 it began its life as a hotel, debuting as the Continental Hotel and Town Club, where Esther Williams would swim in the now famous pool. Subsequently it would operate under both the Sheraton and Radisson hotel chains. In 1961 the Sheraton expanded, adding a second tower just north of the existing building and bringing the northern boundary of the hotel all the way to Grand Avenue. During this era, the hotel featured an outlet of the popular Polynesian themed Kon Tiki Ports restaurant chain. A facade of lava rock adorned the northern wall along Grand Avenue, where today only a small section remains visible, tucked at the end of the balcony of Zest’s outdoor café. When the Radisson’s contract ended in 1983, the hotel’s name was changed back once again to the Continental. It would remain open for only three more years before finally closing its doors in anticipation of major remodeling and restoration. | |||
| The somewhat more masculine King Arthur Court was built to function as the men's smoking lounge, and featured heavy timbering, stained glass, and a mural depicting the stories of King Arthur and Parsifal. At this men's club, facilities for women were considerably less grand. They were allowed only in designated areas, and were provided a separate entrance and elevator to visit the Grand Ballroom for social gatherings or to access the Women's Plunge, Lounge and Tea Room, called the Renaissance Ballroom. Female guests also had access to an outdoor loggia overlooking Michigan Avenue, which was decorated with the intention of evoking a Venetian terrace. | |||
| In 1989, Intercontinental Hotels and Resorts purchased the property outright and completed the first phase of extensive renovations prior to it’s grand re-opening in 1990. During that time, a former Medinah Club member heard of the renovation and donated a 1930 anniversary yearbook entitled “The Scimitar,” filled with photographs which would serve as reference for much of the work. Many of the inner walls above the eighth floor were restructured to expand the size of the guestrooms. Gutting and redesigning the size of these rooms would prove difficult because almost none of the original architectural drawings had been saved. Therefore, there are now 175 different room configurations in the historic tower. In addition to the guestroom modifications, the balcony of the Grand Ballroom, which had long since been removed, was rebuilt to match its original design. The murals and gold leaf detailing on the room’s ceiling were restored by Lido Lippi, the same man who consulted on the restoration of the Sistine Chapel. On the ninth floor, which had at one time housed the shooting range and billiards hall, renovations included raising the floor two and a half feet to accommodate plumbing for additional guestrooms. In the public areas, designers used painstaking attention to detail. Photographs of the original carpeting were enlarged and used to recreate its exact pattern, even making sure not to incorporate more colors than were originally available from the manufacturer. Initially, workers utilized a process called cornhusk blasting to strip away the many layers of paint from the marble walls in the Hall of Lions, as traditional sandblasting would have destroyed the intricate details of any etchings beneath. When it was determined that a single marble column would require close to a ton of ground corn cobs, restorers decided to scrub away the paint by hand. The two carvings of lions which were discovered underneath have become an emblem used throughout the hotel. | |||
| === Hotel conversion === | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| The club filed for bankruptcy in 1934, and following a lengthy battle, in 1944 the building was sold to developer John J. Mack, who converted it to a 650-room hotel at a cost of $1 million, renaming it the '''Hotel Continental'''.<ref name="Kerch"/> ] swam in the pool in the building's athletic club, renamed the Town Club of Chicago. Three years later, in 1947, Mack sold the hotel to ].<ref name="Kerch"/> It was renamed the '''Sheraton Hotel''' and later the '''Sheraton-Chicago Hotel'''. In 1961 Sheraton expanded the hotel, adding a 26-story second tower just north of the existing building.<ref name="Kerch"/> During this era, the hotel featured an outlet of the popular Polynesian themed Kon-Tiki Ports restaurant chain. A facade of lava rock adorned the northern wall along Grand Avenue, where today only a small section remains visible, tucked at the end of the balcony of Zest's outdoor café. MAT Associates purchased the hotel from Sheraton in 1978, and brought in ] to manage the hotel, which was renamed the '''Radisson Chicago Hotel'''.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-08-20-8703050613-story.html|title=DOWNTOWN HOTEL TO BE REHABBED|first=David|last=Ibata|website=chicagotribune.com}}</ref> MAT Associates terminated Radisson's contract in 1983 and returned the property to its original name, '''Hotel Continental'''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chicagotribune.newspapers.com/|title=Chicago Tribune - Historical Newspapers|website=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> MAT closed the hotel in November 1986 for a renovation.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> In August 1987, plans were announced for the property to be managed by ] and split into two hotels. The 1961 North Tower would reopen first as the 547-room '''Forum Hotel''' (the budget-priced division of Inter-Continental), while the historic 1929 South Tower would be restored as the 346-room '''Inter-Continental Chicago'''.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> | |||
| === Restoration === | |||
| Today, the Hotel Intercontinental Chicago is a world renowned destination hotel which embraces the contemporary traveler’s tastes while proudly acknowledging its own rich past. Occupying a prominent place in Chicago’s Michigan-Wacker Historic District, the hotel is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It features 807 guest rooms, over 40,000 feet of meeting and banquet space, and the largest fitness facility of all the downtown hotels. | |||
| ] | |||
| A former Medinah Club member read of the renovation and donated the first anniversary edition of the club's magazine, ''The Scimitar''.<ref name="Kerch">Kerch, Steve. "", '']''. March 19, 1989. Retrieved March 4, 2019.</ref> The magazine contained photographs of the club, which were used to aid in the building's restoration.<ref name="Kerch"/> Photographs were enlarged and used to recreate the carpeting, the furniture, the stenciling in the ceilings, the colors of the rooms, and the draperies.<ref name="Kerch"/> | |||
| The balcony of the Grand Ballroom, which had long since been removed, was rebuilt to match its original design.<ref name="Kerch"/> The murals were restored by ], who had previously worked on the restoration of the ].<ref name="Gapp">Gapp, Paul. "", '']''. June 16, 1991. Retrieved March 5, 2019.</ref> Lippi also replicated eight other paintings, which had been stolen many years prior.<ref name="Gapp"/> | |||
| The building’s creators, in a ceremony which took place on November 5th of 1928, placed within its cornerstone a copper box to commemorate its place in history. Filled with records of their organization, photographs of its members, a copy of the Chicago Tribune announcing the proposal of the building, coins, and other historic data, this time capsule remains sealed within the hotel’s limestone exterior. If given the opportunity to add to its contents, there would be no shortage of memorabilia, gathered over the near century which has passed since that day, to document the impressive evolution of this grand hotel. | |||
| In the Hall of Lions, workers at first utilized a process called cornhusk blasting to strip away the many layers of paint from the marble walls, because traditional sandblasting would have destroyed the intricate details of any etchings beneath.<ref name="Kerch"/> When, however, it was determined that a single marble column would require a ton of ground corn cobs, restorers decided to scrub away the paint by hand.<ref name="Kerch"/> The two carvings of lions which were discovered underneath have become an emblem used throughout the hotel.<ref name="Kerch"/> | |||
| === Re-opening === | |||
| ] | |||
| ⚫ | The Forum Hotel opened first, in 1989, while the historic Inter-Continental Chicago opened its doors to the public in March 1990. Although operated as separate properties, the two shared back-of-the-house facilities and the division proved short-lived. Only four years later, in April 1994, the Forum Hotel was merged into the Inter-Continental Chicago in a $10 million renovation, bringing it to a total of 792 rooms.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1994-02-18-9402180179-story.html|title=2 become 1: The Forum Hotel on...|first=Chicago|last=Tribune|website=chicagotribune.com}}</ref> A new entrance and a four-story lobby were built, combining elements of both architectural styles. Its grand staircase, which ascends to the banquet space above, is lined with banisters bearing intricate cast bronze ornamentation. An illuminated rotunda is capable of changing colors and creating the illusion of twinkling stars against a night sky. | ||
| ] | |||
| ===Planned new tower=== | |||
| In April 2005, ], acquired 85% of the ownership of InterContinental Hotels Group's Chicago & Miami hotels.<ref name=110105ChicagoTribune></ref> Several months later Strategic Hotel Capital, Inc. proposed a new 850 ft, 55 story north tower. Designed by ], the new tower would have been twice the height of the current 42-story south tower, and would have replaced the 28-story north tower built in 1961 by Sheraton. The new north tower would house new condominiums as well as an addition to the hotel.<ref name=110105ChicagoTribune /> It was never built due to the 2008 economic crisis. | |||
| == See also == | |||
| *] | |||
| *] | |||
| == References == | |||
| {{reflist}} | |||
| == External links== | |||
| {{commons category-inline}} | |||
| *{{official|http://www.ihg.com/hotels/us/en/chicago/ordha/hoteldetail }} | |||
| {{Hotels in Chicago}} | |||
| {{Chicago}} | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Intercontinental Chicago}} | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 16:27, 26 August 2024
Building in Illinois, United States| InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Address | 505 Michigan Avenue |
| Coordinates | 41°53′28″N 87°37′25″W / 41.8912°N 87.6237°W / 41.8912; -87.6237 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 471 ft (144 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 26 (North Tower) 42 (Executive Tower) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Walter W. Ahlschlager |
InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile is a hotel in Chicago, United States. The hotel currently occupies two multi-story buildings. The historic tower, or "South Tower," is a 471-foot (144 m), 42-story building which was completed in 1929 originally as the home of the Medinah Athletic Club. The new tower, or "North Tower" is a 295-foot (90 m), 26-story addition, completed in 1961.
InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile is a member of Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
History
Medinah Athletic Club
Before the stock market crash of 1929, the United States was experiencing a building boom. One of these projects was the future home of the Medinah Athletic Club in Chicago, commissioned by the Shriners Organization and designed by architect Walter W. Ahlschlager. The Chicago Shriners Club purchased the property at the northeast corner of Michigan Avenue and Illinois Street directly north of the Tribune Tower for $1 million, while $5 million more was spent on building and equipping what was then to be the 42 story Medinah Athletic Club. The plan was for there to be 3500 members, all of whom had to be a Shriner; at the time of the announcement in 1925, 1000 Shriners had taken out founder memberships for the club. The ceremony to lay the cornerstone of the Medinah Athletic Club was held on November 5, 1928, and to commemorate the occasion, a copper time capsule was placed within the cornerstone. The capsule, which currently remains sealed within the hotel's limestone exterior, contains records of the organization, photographs of members, and a copy of the Chicago Tribune announcing the proposal of the building, as well as coins and other historic data. Construction of the building's 42 floors and 440 guest rooms was completed in 1929, and its facilities were made available for the exclusive use of the club's members and guests.
Design
 | This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
The Medinah Athletic Club building was intended to combine elements of many architectural styles. At the eighth floor, its Indiana limestone facade was decorated by three large relief carvings in ancient Assyrian style. Each frieze depicted a different scene in the order of constructing a building, with Contribution on the south wall, Wisdom represented on the west wall and Consecration on the north. (According to an article in the Chicago Tribune from Sept 16, 1928 entitled “Building art inspires panels”: “The friezes were designed by George Unger, in collaboration with Walter Ahlschlager, and carved by Léon Hermant. The figures are costumed in the period of the building, which is that of an old fortress in Mesopotamia in Xerxes time, about 5th century BC. The theme of the panels as explained by Mr. Unger, was inspired by the history of construction of any building. The south panel starts the story. Here a magnificent cortege is displayed. This panel, termed Contribution, signifies the getting together of treasures for the construction of the building. In the west panel, facing Michigan Avenue, a ruler is shown with his counselors and an architect is shown bringing in a model of the building planned. The north panel shows the consecration of the building after it has been built. A priest is sacrificing a white bull whose blood will be mixed with crushed grapes and poured into the earth. A monkey trainer and his animals are shown. Since the animals represented bigotry in the ancient drawings, they are shown here in leash as symbolic belief that bigotry has no place in the Masonic order.”) The figures in all three scenes are said to be modeled after the faces of club members at the time of its design. Three Sumerian warriors were also carved into the facade at the twelfth-floor setback, directly above the Michigan Avenue entrance, and remain visible today.
Extending the Moorish imagery, the building is topped by a gold-painted dome. In the tower beneath the great dome, the club featured a miniature golf course on the twenty-third floor, complete with water hazards and a wandering brook; also a shooting range, billiards hall, running track, gymnasium, archery range, bowling alley, two-story boxing arena, and a junior Olympic size swimming pool - all this in addition to the ballrooms, meeting rooms, and 440 guest rooms which were available for the exclusive use of the club's 3,500 members and their guests.
At the time, the pool was one of the highest indoor pools in the world, and its fourteen-floor location was heralded as a grand feat of engineering. Today it is commonly referred to as the Johnny Weissmuller pool, after the famous Olympic athlete and actor who trained in it. The rows of seats which remain on its western wall recall the days when swimming was a popular spectator sport. Its blue Spanish majolica tiles and terra-cotta fountain of Neptune on its east wall remain virtually unchanged today.
The elegant Grand Ballroom, a two-story, 100-foot (30 m) elliptical space, was decorated with ornaments in Egyptian, Assyrian, and Greek styles and was surrounded by a horseshoe-shaped mezzanine. In its center hung a 12,000-pound Baccarat crystal chandelier, the largest in North America.
The somewhat more masculine King Arthur Court was built to function as the men's smoking lounge, and featured heavy timbering, stained glass, and a mural depicting the stories of King Arthur and Parsifal. At this men's club, facilities for women were considerably less grand. They were allowed only in designated areas, and were provided a separate entrance and elevator to visit the Grand Ballroom for social gatherings or to access the Women's Plunge, Lounge and Tea Room, called the Renaissance Ballroom. Female guests also had access to an outdoor loggia overlooking Michigan Avenue, which was decorated with the intention of evoking a Venetian terrace.
Hotel conversion
The club filed for bankruptcy in 1934, and following a lengthy battle, in 1944 the building was sold to developer John J. Mack, who converted it to a 650-room hotel at a cost of $1 million, renaming it the Hotel Continental. Esther Williams swam in the pool in the building's athletic club, renamed the Town Club of Chicago. Three years later, in 1947, Mack sold the hotel to Sheraton Hotels. It was renamed the Sheraton Hotel and later the Sheraton-Chicago Hotel. In 1961 Sheraton expanded the hotel, adding a 26-story second tower just north of the existing building. During this era, the hotel featured an outlet of the popular Polynesian themed Kon-Tiki Ports restaurant chain. A facade of lava rock adorned the northern wall along Grand Avenue, where today only a small section remains visible, tucked at the end of the balcony of Zest's outdoor café. MAT Associates purchased the hotel from Sheraton in 1978, and brought in Radisson Hotels to manage the hotel, which was renamed the Radisson Chicago Hotel. MAT Associates terminated Radisson's contract in 1983 and returned the property to its original name, Hotel Continental. MAT closed the hotel in November 1986 for a renovation. In August 1987, plans were announced for the property to be managed by Inter-Continental Hotels and split into two hotels. The 1961 North Tower would reopen first as the 547-room Forum Hotel (the budget-priced division of Inter-Continental), while the historic 1929 South Tower would be restored as the 346-room Inter-Continental Chicago.
Restoration
.jpg)
A former Medinah Club member read of the renovation and donated the first anniversary edition of the club's magazine, The Scimitar. The magazine contained photographs of the club, which were used to aid in the building's restoration. Photographs were enlarged and used to recreate the carpeting, the furniture, the stenciling in the ceilings, the colors of the rooms, and the draperies.
The balcony of the Grand Ballroom, which had long since been removed, was rebuilt to match its original design. The murals were restored by Lido Lippi, who had previously worked on the restoration of the Sistine Chapel. Lippi also replicated eight other paintings, which had been stolen many years prior.
In the Hall of Lions, workers at first utilized a process called cornhusk blasting to strip away the many layers of paint from the marble walls, because traditional sandblasting would have destroyed the intricate details of any etchings beneath. When, however, it was determined that a single marble column would require a ton of ground corn cobs, restorers decided to scrub away the paint by hand. The two carvings of lions which were discovered underneath have become an emblem used throughout the hotel.
Re-opening
.jpg)
The Forum Hotel opened first, in 1989, while the historic Inter-Continental Chicago opened its doors to the public in March 1990. Although operated as separate properties, the two shared back-of-the-house facilities and the division proved short-lived. Only four years later, in April 1994, the Forum Hotel was merged into the Inter-Continental Chicago in a $10 million renovation, bringing it to a total of 792 rooms. A new entrance and a four-story lobby were built, combining elements of both architectural styles. Its grand staircase, which ascends to the banquet space above, is lined with banisters bearing intricate cast bronze ornamentation. An illuminated rotunda is capable of changing colors and creating the illusion of twinkling stars against a night sky.
Planned new tower
In April 2005, Strategic Hotels & Resorts, acquired 85% of the ownership of InterContinental Hotels Group's Chicago & Miami hotels. Several months later Strategic Hotel Capital, Inc. proposed a new 850 ft, 55 story north tower. Designed by Lucien Lagrange Architects, the new tower would have been twice the height of the current 42-story south tower, and would have replaced the 28-story north tower built in 1961 by Sheraton. The new north tower would house new condominiums as well as an addition to the hotel. It was never built due to the 2008 economic crisis.
See also
References
- Emporis. (Unknown Last Update). Hotel InterContinental. Retrieved February 25, 2007
- Emporis. (Unknown Last Update). Hotel InterContinental Addition. Retrieved February 25, 2007
- "InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, a Historic Hotels of America member". Historic Hotels of America. Retrieved May 10, 2024.
- ^ Gapp, Paul. "One Club, Two Hotels", Chicago Tribune. June 16, 1991. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
- Chicago Tribune, November 22, 1925
- Chicago Tribune, April 14, 1929
- ^ "Hotel History in Chicago, Illinois - InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile". Historic Hotels Worldwide. Retrieved 2024-05-02.
- ^ Kerch, Steve. "Classic Revival Finds Room on Michigan Avenue", Chicago Tribune. March 19, 1989. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ^ Ibata, David. "DOWNTOWN HOTEL TO BE REHABBED". chicagotribune.com.
- "Chicago Tribune - Historical Newspapers". Chicago Tribune.
- Tribune, Chicago. "2 become 1: The Forum Hotel on..." chicagotribune.com.
- ^ Corfman, T. (2005, November 01). InterContinental plans skyscraper. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 25, 2007
External links
Media related to InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile at Wikimedia Commons
