Potential redevelopment plans have been revealed for the iconic Hotel Florence at 11111 South Forrestville Avenue in Pullman. Located at the intersection with East 111th Street, the historic property is part of the larger Pullman National Historic Park. The redevelopment follows a multi-year process by the city to select a development team.
Historic image of Hotel Florence via CBS
The state, along with the city, has been looking for a team to enter into a public–private partnership to rehabilitate the hotel and portions of the Pullman Factory. This includes the north factory wing, the rear erection shop, the train car display building, and a surviving ADVANCE passenger rail car. The contract will run for a term of 75 years, including hotel operations.
Historic image of Hotel Florence via CBS
The hotel itself cost $100,000 to build and opened in 1881 with 50 rooms for visitors to the factory town. It was named after George Pullman’s daughter and expanded in 1914 with a rear addition. Filled with amenities such as a billiard room, parlors, and the only bar on the property, it traded hands for years before being taken over by the state in 1991 and closing in 2000.
Image of Hotel Florence (right), and annex (left) by Ian Achong
Since then, officials have been searching for a redevelopment partner. Earlier this week, the Harley Clarke Development Company announced that it had been selected—along with Celadon Partners—to lead the redevelopment. The team is working with local architecture firm Farr & Associates on the 144-year-old hotel and surrounding areas.
Rendering of Pullman event center via Harley Clark Development Company
While the plans are early and unconfirmed, and while one of the renderings appears to have been created by AI, the hotel is expected to be rehabilitated into a boutique hotel with a new bar and restaurant within the original four-story historic structure. There will also be an affordable housing component, most likely located in the 1914 annex.
AI image of a hotel lobby via Harley Clark Development Company
The project is expected to cost $85 million to complete. It is unclear whether that estimate also includes the initial renovation of part of the factory space. Harley Clarke also revealed that they will create an event space within the factory in partnership with Art of Culture to bring events to the area. They will also partner with Harley Clarke’s Evanston Mansion, which is set to reopen in 2027.
At the moment, no further details are known. The developer has teased that more information will be coming soon.
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looking since 2000? see what happens when the government gets involved.
If the government had never gotten involved, Pullman National Park would have never existed, and private equity would’ve flattened the Pullman Yards for a drive-thru bank and Chick-fil-A years ago.
Like that historic preservation? Private entities have such a strong history of keeping historic intact, right? They would never tear down beautiful greystones and three flats for monstrous townhouses… Never.
Once again, another Westlopper hot take fresh from the manure.
When have private equity’s or private companies ever done something besides make a profit? You do know developers are purposely not building because prices have not gone up ENOUGH in their eyes. When privatization happens the people lose nice things to enjoy, while having to settle for looking at it.
reminds me of the congress theater project… “coming next year” for going on 2 decades at this point
Art Nouveau Hotel Florence?? What’s going on here?? The steel in the erecting shops does NOT look like that, nor did it historically look like that… Also, looks like the “AI image of a Hotel Lobby via Harley Clark Development” was ripped from an AI blog?? Interesting that THIS is the winning proposal when it so clearly is LOW effort and little care or concern for the REAL history present throughout Pullman complex. YIKES… I hope IDNR/IHPA reconsiders the design team behind this one… This National Historic Landmark site deserves careful treatment.
Link to AI blog: https://www.sipthestyle.com/color-alchemy-transforming-bar-spaces-with-art-nouveau-s-magical-palette
Hi historian!
I tried the best I could to convey that this was posted by one of the developers but hasn’t been confirmed or published by the city.
Thank you for providing the link!
The AI rendering of the bar was lifted from a 2024 blog post about Art Nouveau that also appears to be an AI-generated blog website. Interesting that this was selected as a rendering as the hotel is a Queen Anne Victorian and not Art Nouveau and really not appropriate for this historic building.
They’re going to have to be careful with the PR on parts of this, as advertising a visit to “Pullman’s Rear Erection Shop” could definitely give some folks the wrong idea.
Affordable housing.. in the park? lol. Chicago is being pathetic with this affordable housing obsession. Instead of fixing crime and bringing jobs so people can pay for their housing. 🤦🏻♂️
You know the city can and has been working on improving both at the same time. These are not simple things that anyone, private nor public can snap their fingers and solve.