Redevelopment plans have been revealed for the historic Blair Mansion at 1516 North Lake Shore Drive in the Gold Coast. Sitting just north of the intersection with East Burton Place, the underused mansion is being converted into a members-only clubhouse as an expansion of the nearby Astor Club at 24 East Goethe Street.
New clubhouse (red) – Existing club (green) via Google Maps
View of Blair Mansion via Chicago Magazine
Built in 1914 for hardware merchant Edward Tyler Blair, the four-story mansion is one of only seven remaining in the neighborhood. The French château-style home has had a long history of owners, with the International College of Surgeons taking over in the 1950s and remaining until 2021, when it sold for just over $4 million to its current owners.
Rendering of Astor Clubhouse via Astor Club
After attempting to convert it back into a single-family home, the family partnered with the owners of the Astor Club to embark on a multimillion-dollar renovation into a day club. While detailed plans have not been revealed, the owners intend to offer a new café, bar, meeting rooms, overnight suites, salon services, and a rooftop space for members to use throughout the day.
View of existing Astor Club by Ian Achong
The new location is meant to complement the existing ritzy club located in the basement level of the Bertrand Goldberg–designed Astor Tower. The original club will continue to operate as an evening-only, restaurant-focused venue, as the team pivots to pursue a Michelin star. The new daytime offering is set to open this fall.
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No one builds like this anymore. Great project!
Thank you, you made my day after what I read on YIMBY today! Beautiful building.
I’ve walked past that building many times when I lived just off of LSD. So happy to see that it will continue to delight Chicagoans.
Why is it only open during the day?
Day cafe