Initial details have been revealed for the residential conversion of 201 E Delaware Place in Streeterville. Located on the corner with N Mies Van Der Rohe Way directly behind the John Hancock Center, the building was formerly the home of the Raffaello Hotel and most recently the Gale Hotel. The conversion is being proposed by a venture led by Florida-based Pebb Capital.
The Gale held 170 hotel rooms along with a ground-floor restaurant in the past. The details were revealed as part of the rezoning application submitted by the developer this month, showing FitzGerald Associates as the designers for the project. Work on the 200-foot-tall structure will include repairs to the Mediterranean-style facade along with new windows to preserve the original character.
The 18-story project will become 140 apartments and 56 hotel rooms, with a 2,800-square-foot restaurant space along Delaware, 1,325-square-foot lobby on the corner, and a small office space along the rest. A new retractable glass roof will also be added to the roof level in order to create a new amenity space.
Future residents and guests will not have access to any on-site parking but instead to 140 bicycle parking spaces. It is unknown what brand will operate the small hotel component. The developers will now need to receive approval from the alderman as well as from the Committee on Zoning among others prior to commencing work. A timeline is currently unknown.
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How do they go from 170 hotel rooms to 140 apartments and 56 hotel rooms? That’s more total rooms after the conversion than before, and hotel rooms are typically a lot smaller than apartments.
Suppose there are some amenity spaces like lounges, conference rooms, or a gathering space. Not easy spaces to convert, but knock out some walls; you have good flexibility.
I have no idea what exists in the former.
I’m glad they’re attempting to preserve the original character rather than just knock down and build a generic glass tower. I wish them all the best with it.
“residents and guests will not have access to any on-site parking but instead to 140 bicycle parking spaces.”
Well that’s something we don’t hear too often. Wish we got more of this downtown.
I lived in the building 1969/1970 when it was the residence for student nurses attending Chicago Wesley Memorial Hospital School of Nursing. Then called Hampshire House
Does anyone have any news about this conversion? Im interested in renting there…