Following a two year restoration, Commune Hotels & Resorts has reopened the Chicago Athletic Association hotel, a well-known Chicago building originally constructed in 1890.
Conducted in partnership with AJ Capital Partners, Geolo Capital, Agman Partners, Chicago-based Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, and New York-based Roman & Williams, the renovation includes 17,000 square feet of event space, revamped guestrooms and suites, and new F&B outlets, including Cindy’s—a rooftop lounge concept by Land & Sea Dept. and Shake Shack.
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“I am humbled to be a part of the Herculean efforts to breathe new life into the Chicago Athletic Association as a tribute to those who created a building for the ages,” says John Pritzker, chairman of Commune Hotels & Resorts and founding partner of Geolo Capital. “As a fourth-generation Chicagoan, it is an honor to reintroduce the powerful spirit of the Chicago Athletic Association to the next generation of Chicagoans and travelers alike.”
The building that houses 241-room boutique hotel was originally designed by architect Henry Ives Cobb and completed in 1893 as a Venetian Gothic tower. The hotel now offers early 20th century-inspired guestrooms referencing the traditional club rooms of past athletic associations. Rooms feature custom lacquered wooden armoires and bars and modernized 19th century brass beds.
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Large fireplaces with bas-relief woodcarvings, 19th century stained glass windows, and marble staircases are included throughout the property. The Chicago Athletic Association’s gymnasium, Stagg Court, has also been fully restored and includes three basketball hoops and a vintage mahogany track.
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“We are honored to have the opportunity to share Chicago Athletic Association’s rich, storied heritage and thoughtful and impassioned restoration with a new generation of guests,” says Niki Leondakis, CEO of Commune Hotels & Resorts. “We look forward to continuing our commitment to serving the Chicago community with a creative and exciting range of social experiences that will become a part of this building’s iconic history.”
In homage to the hotel’s sporting past, amenities include the Game Room, with classic recreational activities such as bocce ball, billiards, shuffleboard, and chess. An installation of vintage pool cues over the bar, a playful mural of athletic characters by Austin, Texas-artist collective LAND, and an oversized, original Chicago Athletic Association crest decorate the space.
F&B options include the Game Room; second floor drawing room lobby area; an eight-seat micro bar, Milk Room; Cindy’s; Shake Shack; and the hotel’s signature restaurant, Cherry Circle Room.
Independent retailers Lance Lawson and Jim Wetzel of Space519 plan to eventually introduce a retail component to the hotel with Madison Hall, which will consist of two lifestyle shops.
