Le Méridien Essex Chicago is a 14-story, 112,000 sf mid-century hotel that neighbors Essex on the Park along Chicago’s iconic South Michigan Avenue. Celebrated for its historic character, the property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been designated a Chicago landmark, preserving its distinctive 1950s-era design for future generations. The hotel offers 273 guest rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, smart TVs, Bluetooth-enabled bathroom mirrors, and other high-end finishes aligned with its “luxury lifestyle hotel” concept. Guests enjoy extensive amenity spaces, including a large conference room, fitness center, and an animated lobby anchored by a bistro-style restaurant.
Through interior demolition and reconfiguration, the project team added 20 new rooms and completed a comprehensive restoration of the hotel’s interiors. During construction of the new conference room, two existing shear walls not indicated in the original design documents were discovered, requiring careful coordination to remove roughly 6 feet from each wall to achieve the desired open layout. In close compliance with Chicago Landmarks Commission requirements, the team preserved the hotel’s exterior, including the iconic rooftop sign, steel-and-glass façade, and original guestroom windows. When the existing windows initially failed water-proof testing, the team implemented targeted solutions—adding caulking, insulation, and new hardware at each unit—to improve performance while maintaining the historic appearance.
