Allerton Hotel

Address: 701 N. Michigan Ave. Year Built: 1922 - 1924 Architect: Fugard & Knapp , Murgatroyd & Ogden Date Designated a Chicago Landmark: April 29, 1998

The Allerton represents a rare Chicago example of the North Italian Renaissance, a style of architecture that includes decorative brickwork, carved stone details, and a picturesque roofline evocative of buildings constructed in northern Italy during the 14th and 15th centuries. The 25-story structure was the city's first highrise to be built with pronounced setbacks and towers, features that were being encouraged by new municipal zoning laws. Built by the Allerton House Company, a national chain of "club hotels" that provided young professionals with the service of a hotel and the sociability of a private club, the Allerton helped bolster the redevelopment of North Michigan Avenue into a chic boulevard of exclusive shops, clubs, offices, and hotels.