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Chicago to Get Loews Hotel Smack-Dab in the Middle of the Loop

Where: North State Street [map], Chicago, IL, United States, 60606

November 10, 2008 at 12:57 PM | 0 Comments

[Imagine a hotel on top of the above building]

How strong is our love for Chicago, called "Second City" and "City of Big Shoulders," yet sadly lacking the nickname "Rising-From-the-Dust-of-the-Midwest-to-Achieve-Awesomeness City." Known more for its restaurants and recreation than for any hip hotels, these last few years have seen a flurry of activity to correct this and bring some new meat to the hotel scene. And the new, hip properties continue to multiply; last week it was announced that the construction hole in the middle of Chicago's Loop Downtown, a site known simply as "Block 37," will be capped off with a 354-room Loews Hotel.

Since the entirety of Block 37 is tax-subsidized, the Loews property has been allotted $12 million to build itself as a nexus of tourism and business for the district. The sure-to-be-sleek Loews will sit above a new shopping center, which itself is plopped atop a fancy new underground subway hub (architectural dork note: the complex is being designed by Gensler, who also did Jetblue's new Terminal 5). And in a fun bit of hospitality rivalry, the Loews will find itself neighbors with the almost-finished (and very hot) Wit Hotel.

Although the Block 37 hotel won't see its first guests until 2013 (they have yet to finish the shopping center part), that gives it plenty of time to work in all the latest hotel technologies. But maybe it's just about having awesome parties, if the local Alderman is to be believed: “Loews is a proven and tested brand in the luxury hotel market and would offer the largest ballroom within their competitive set within the Loop.” That has to be pretty massive, since we've seen the ballrooms of The Drake and The Marriott Magnificent Mile and they are nothing to shake a stick at. We'll believe it when we see it.

[Image via The New York Times]

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Author Photo: JetSetCD by JetSetCD

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