CHICAGO—Oxford Capital Group and Quadrum Global are doing an adaptive-reuse of the historic Atlantic Bank building at 168 North Michigan Ave. here, transforming it into the Hotel Julian, the flagship property of Oxford’s latest luxury lifestyle hotel brand. Diagonally across from Millennium Park, the $75-plus million development is slated to open in late 2018. The hotel will be managed by Oxford Hotels & Resorts LLC.
“We are excited to be transforming this historic Benjamin Marshall designed building and simultaneously launching our latest luxury lifestyle hotel brand,” said John W. Rutledge, founder, president and CEO at Oxford Capital Group LLC, and its wholly owned subsidiary, Oxford Hotels & Resorts LLC. “After an extensive naming and branding process, we chose the name Julian for a variety of reasons, the most significant of which was the fact that Julian is derived from St. Julian Hospitaller, the Patron Saint of Hospitality and Travelers. Thus, it felt particularly appropriate for a lifestyle hotel brand in a building with such a distinguished architectural pedigree and in such a prominent location on North Michigan Ave. across from Millennium Park.”
The building was designed by architectural firm Marshall & Fox, architects of properties such as The Drake, The Blackstone, The Edgewater Beach Hotel & Apartments and several prominent buildings on North and East Lake Shore Dr. in Chicago. The Oxford/Quadrum venture is restoring the building’s historic terracotta facade and integrating it with modern design elements.
The design by Hirsch Associates LLC incorporates a five-story addition on top of the existing structure clad in a faceted glass curtain wall, which is brought down through the terracotta facade to the base of the building. At ground level, a two-story facade with a folding glass wall set within a terracotta portal will open up the Workshop/APD-designed food and beverage venue and lobby to Michigan Ave. and an outdoor dining experience.
The interiors of the hotel rooms have been designed by The Gettys Group. A second entrance, located on Garland Ct., leads to the building’s lobby. Each of the 218 guestrooms will offer views of Millennium Park and the city. The hotel also will feature a food and beverage venue with indoor and outdoor seating called About Last Knife and 24-hour fitness center.