Here now, we give you a first look at a draft design for an addition to the London Guarantee Building. Oxford Capital Group's acquisition of the landmark Beaux Arts tower at Wacker & Michigan made news last month for the new owner/developer's hotel conversion plan. While there's no word just yet on room count or amenities, Oxford is after a "high design lifestyle hotel" (whatever that means) with a couple floors of retail. Previously, it seemed as if the adjacent development parcel at 77 E Wacker might just accommodate said retail. Now, thanks to the tireless efforts of Skyscraper Page's resident sleuth Spyguy, there's good reason to expect more— about 13 stories more.
It ain't easy composing a sliver of a tower for the space between two titanic reps. of early 20th Century architecture. The rendering depicts a glassy 15-story building with an irregular facade as a smart complement to the brawny, ornate neighbors, rather than aiming to be a competing presence. As with any design exercise, we'll have to wait on the local reaction and a sense of its plausibility.
·Highrise Projects & Construction Thread [SSP]
·Oxford Capital Press Release [official]
·Hospitality Watch: London Guarantee Building [Curbed Chicago]
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