LANDMARKS COMMISSION HONOR CHICAGO’S BEST PRESERVATION PROJECTS FOR 2017

The light‐warehouse buildings in the Fulton‐Randolph Market District form important anchors to this oldest surviving food marketing district in Chicago. The district functioned as a meatpacking area, one of the city’s most historically significant industries. The Ace Hotel project included rehabilitation of a historic commission house at 311 N. Morgan and adjoined 4 to 7‐story new construction to the north for a boutique hotel. Constructed in 1921, the 2‐story former Aroma Cheese Company commission house was rehabilitated with masonry repairs on the front façade and decorative parapet, new windows and doors to match the historic fenestration pattern, new storefront, and a rooftop addition setback from the front façade. The 4‐story central portion includes a courtyard enclosure at the front to continue the street wall, and is clad in a combination of grey brick, steel, and glass. The 7‐story portion at the north end of the site is clad in a white brick with concrete columns and window configurations similar to the historic windows in the district. The new construction design exhibits a contemporary expression while maintaining a compatible massing and height to the surrounding buildings of the district. The Ace Hotel houses 159 guest rooms, restaurant and coffee shop, event spaces, and a rooftop bar. This combined new construction and adaptive reuse project showcases the joint efforts of preservation and compatible development within a Landmark District. The Fulton‐Randolph Market District was designated a Chicago Landmark on July 29, 2015.