The Kimpton Gray Hotel

The structure is one of Chicago’s earliest skyscrapers. Located in the heart of the city’s historical district and surrounded by other significant structures, the building also provides a key link to Chicago’s history as the insurance broker to the West. Gensler helped convert this 14-story landmark property into a four-star, 293-key boutique hotel. The structure was built in three phases over a period of 10 years and presented challenging existing conditions that required intense exterior restoration, structural reconfiguration and interior repairs. The goal was to achieve Kimpton’s programmatic targets while preserving the existing structure to accommodate stringent requirements of the local landmark commission. Gensler’s preservation efforts for this project earned the client nearly $10 million in historic tax credits.