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US: Becker Ventures and Aparium Hotel Group have announced their plans for the St. Jane Chicago hotel, which is scheduled to open in spring 2018.
Located in the former Hard Rock Hotel, itself a conversion of the Carbide and Carbon building located at 230 N. Michigan Ave, the 363-room property is being designed in partnership with award-winning Simeone Deary Design Group and Booth Hansen architects.
Originally built in 1929, the building’s shape is that of a vintage green champagne bottle, as the Carbide and Carbon building’s design was said to have been inspired as a response to Prohibition.
The hotel is named in honour of Jane Addams, “a pioneering Chicagoan, tireless activist and the first American woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize”.
With the opening of St. Jane, Aparium Hotel Group and Becker Ventures aim to create “a major differentiator in a market saturated with luxury, boutique and lifestyle hotels, striving to fill a niche that the community and travellers are seeking”.
Aparium says: “Guestrooms will boast breathtaking views and beautiful furnishings, and will feature unique local amenities and artwork from Chicago artists and beyond. The Tower at St. Jane, located on floors 25 and above will feature 33 premium suites. Guests of The Tower will be afforded access to an exclusive indoor/outdoor 24th floor lounge. St. Jane will host multiple drinking and dining outlets in addition to the 24th floor lounge, including a full service restaurant, market café, cocktail bar, and 11,000 square feet of meeting and event space.”
“Through our programming, we will celebrate and cater to the collective power of Chicago’s spirit and culture, making St. Jane the most authentic expression of our city for locals and visitors alike,” said Kevin Robinson, co-founder and chief operating officer of Aparium Hotel Group. “Uncommon people thrive in an environment that caters to their unique needs. Spaces like our 24th floor will be an excellent example of this as a place where guests and locals alike will feel perfectly comfortable spending their entire day.”
Carrie Meghie, principal at Becker Ventures, said: “Chicago deserves this beauty, and the Carbide and Carbon building deserves to be as impressive on the inside as much as it’s inspiring on the outside. The hotel will also be a deeply-rooted member of Chicago’s philanthropic community through giving back, and supporting local causes through sales and the hosting of charity events and meaningful donations.”
