MAGNIFICENT MILE — The new hotel opening in a landmarked tower at Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive now has a name: "LondonHouse."
Developer Oxford Capital Group on Thursday christened its 452-room hotel at 360 N. Michigan Ave., which is slated to open in spring 2016.
The LondonHouse name is an homage to the first owner of the 1923 Beaux Arts tower: the London Guaranty & Accident Co., an insurance company. Crain Communications and other office tenants occupied the tower until Oxford Capital paid $53 million for it in 2013.
In a statement, Oxford President and CEO John Rutledge said the name also was a nod to the London House jazz club, another longtime tenant in the building.
"We feel that carrying on the name LondonHouse is the perfect choice for this most unique hotel," he said.
The hotel will also include a new 22-story glass tower designed by Chicago-based Goettsch Partners. Construction of that building began in December.
When complete, the hotel will feature 25,000 square feet of meeting space including ballrooms and board rooms, as well as a "destination spa" and second-floor lobby with bar. Oxford has yet to sign a tenant for the hotel's first-floor retail space.
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