CHICAGO—Another Curio-A Collection by Hilton hotel will find a home here as LondonHouse, in the historic London Guarantee Building and a new 22-story Modernist glass tower.
Developer and manager Oxford Capital Group, LLC began work on the Alfred S. Alschuler-designed London Guarantee Building in 2013, followed by construction of the new glass tower, designed by Chicago’s Goettsch Partners, beginning last December.
Built on the site of historic Fort Dearborn in 1923 at the corner of North Michigan Ave. and Wacker Dr., the London Guarantee & Accident Building was home to the jazz club London House, which hosted luminaries that included Oscar Peterson, Ramsey Lewis, Bill Evans, Dave Brubeck, Marian McPartland, Nancy Wilson and Barbara Carroll before closing in the 1970s.
“We’re thrilled that LondonHouse will be in such great company among a distinguished portfolio of hotels and resorts across the U.S.,” stated John W. Rutledge, founder, president and CEO of Oxford Capital Group, LLC. “Becoming part of Curio will allow our guests the opportunity to enjoy a distinctive, independent hotel experience, while enjoying the benefits of Hilton’s renowned loyalty program.”
One of four iconic 1920s buildings that flank the North Michigan Ave. Bridge, LondonHouse is scheduled to open in 2016 following completion of a comprehensive restoration and redevelopment, coupled with its contemporary addition to create a high-design, 452-room luxury lifestyle hotel with two floors of upscale retail, according to the company.
The design for LondonHouse, led by Simeone Deary Design Group, will reflect the London Guarantee Building’s roots with the use of historic detail, while adopting the progressive thinking of the 1920s, according to the company. The color palette will feature grays and whites, punctuated by jewel tones and eucalyptus woods.