citizenM, a global chain of affordable luxury hotels, has opened its first Chicago property—its fifth opening of 2022. Located on Michigan Avenue near the Chicago Riverwalk, the newly built, 47-story citizenM Chicago Downtown includes a 280-room hotel as well as 289 residential units and 25,000 square feet of retail space.
For the exterior 2,000-square-foot terrace and entrance walls, citizenM commissioned artist Nina Chanel Abney, who created an abstract artwork that pays tribute to the city while addressing race, gender, and politics. Other artworks throughout the hotel’s shared spaces include a neon piece in the bar area entitled Ding Dong Your Opinion Is Wrong by Daniel van Straalen, as well as works by Muntean/Rosenblum, Yngve Holen, and Rainer Fetting.
The hotel rooms and interiors took inspiration from the local community, with a mix of contemporary art, photography, and objects by Chicago artists. The hotel chain curated the in-room art in partnership with ArtLifting, a program for artists that have traditionally been underrepresented in the contemporary art market. ArtLifting enables artists who face a variety of challenges, from disabilities to homelessness, to secure income by selling their original paintings, prints, and products.
Designed by Chicago’s bKL, in collaboration with citizenM’s longstanding architecture partner, Concrete, the building features furnishings by Vitra, citizenM’s furniture partner. The guestrooms offer king-size beds, rain showers, widescreen HD TVs with streaming, and room controls (the blinds, temperature, TV, and lights) via an iPad. citizenM Chicago Downtown also has a 24/7 gym and three meeting rooms.
citizenM, which launched in 2008, now has 10 hotels in the U.S. and 27 worldwide, with plans to have 40 operational properties globally by 2024.
On the Building Team:
Owner and developer: Sterling Bay and citizenM
Design architect: Concrete (citizenM component), bKL (overall 300 N. Michigan Ave. building)
Architect of record: bKL
MEP engineer: Hill Group
Structural engineer: WSP
General contractor/construction manager: Linn-Mathes
Related Stories
| Mar 9, 2011
North Korea resumes construction of 'world's worst' hotel
Is North Korea finally serious about completing construction of Ryu-Gyong Hotel—once called the world’s worst building—after years of neglect and secrecy?
| Mar 9, 2011
Igor Krnajski, SVP with Denihan Hospitality Group, on hotel construction and understanding the industry
Igor Krnajski, SVP for Design and Construction with Denihan Hospitality Group, New York, N.Y., on the state of hotel construction, understanding the hotel operators’ mindset, and where the work is.
| Mar 9, 2011
Fast food franchises are taking the LEED
Starbucks, Arby’s, and McDonald’s are among the top when it comes to fast food franchises implementing sustainability practices. This article takes a look at the green paths these three brands are taking, and how LEED factors into their business and their future.
| Feb 15, 2011
Iconic TWA terminal may reopen as a boutique hotel
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey hopes to squeeze a hotel with about 150 rooms in the space between the old TWA terminal and the new JetBlue building. The old TWA terminal would serve as an entry to the hotel and hotel lobby, which would also contain restaurants and shops.
| Feb 9, 2011
Hospital Construction in the Age of Obamacare
The recession has hurt even the usually vibrant healthcare segment. Nearly three out of four hospital systems have put the brakes on capital projects. We asked five capital expenditure insiders for their advice on how Building Teams can still succeed in this highly competitive sector.
| Jan 25, 2011
AIA reports: Hotels, retail to lead U.S. construction recovery
U.S. nonresidential construction activity will decline this year but recover in 2012, led by hotel and retail sectors, according to a twice-yearly forecast by the American Institute of Architects. Overall nonresidential construction spending is expected to fall by 2% this year before rising by 5% in 2012, adjusted for inflation. The projected decline marks a deteriorating outlook compared to the prior survey in July 2010, when a 2011 recovery was expected.
| Jan 25, 2011
InterContinental Hotels Group gets LEED pre-certification
InterContinental Hotels Group, the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms, announced that its in-house sustainability system Green Engage has been awarded LEED volume pre-certification established from the USGBC and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute. IHG is the first hotel company to receive this award for an existing hotels program.
| Jan 19, 2011
San Diego casino renovations upgrade gaming and entertainment
The Sycuan Casino in San Diego will get an update with a $27 million, 245,000-sf renovation. Hnedak Bobo Group, Memphis, Tenn., and Cleo Design, Las Vegas, drew design inspiration from the historic culture of the Sycuan tribe and the desert landscape, creating a more open space with better circulation. Renovation highlights include a new “waterless” water entry feature and new sports bar and grill, plus updates to gaming, poker, off-track-betting, retail, and bingo areas. The local office of San Francisco-based Swinerton Builders will provide construction services.
| Jan 19, 2011
Extended stay hotel aims to provide comfort of home
Housing development company Campus Apartments broke ground on a new extended stay hotel that will serve the medical and academic facilities in Philadelphia’s University City, including the University of Pennsylvania and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The 11,000-sf hotel will operate under Hilton’s Homewood Suites brand, with 136 suites with full kitchens and dining and work areas. A part of the city’s EnergyWorks loan program, the project aims for LEED with a green roof, low-flow fixtures, and onsite stormwater management. Local firms Alesker & Dundon Architects and GC L.F. Driscoll Co. complete the Building Team.
| Jan 4, 2011
Luxury hotel planned for Palace of Versailles
Want to spend the night at the Palace of Versailles? The Hotel du Grand Controle, a 1680s mansion built on palace grounds for the king's treasurer and vacant since the French Revolution, will soon be turned into a luxury hotel. Versailles is partnering with Belgian hotel company Ivy International to restore the dilapidated estate into a 23-room luxury hotel. Guests can live like a king or queen for a while—and keep their heads.