Shoreland Hotel - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

The Shoreland Hotel is located along Chicago's lakefront on the city's South Side in Hyde Park. Constructed approximately from 1924-1926, the building was opened in 1926.

Over the next twenty years, the building proved a significant and elegant meeting place and residence for many of the city's residents and visitors. Guests included Amelia Earhart, Jimmy Hoffa, Elvis Presley, Milton Friedman, and perhaps Al Capone (it is unclear as to whether he ever took up residence there, although it is almost sure that he visited and conducted "business" at the hotel).

The post-WWII era was not one of prosperity for the Shoreland. Residential hotels were going out of style, opreating costs were rising, and the hotel itself became less of a destination that it had been. By the early 1970s the building was in significant disrepair.

At this point, the University of Chicago, partly attempting to find lodging for students (both undergraduates and graduates), and in order to take an active role in preventing the perceived decline of the neighborhood, purchased the building. By 1975 the housing need had become so acute for the University that it took the role of converting certain floors to student housing. Up until the 1990s, students would coexist with non-student residents. The latter's numbers steadily declined, as the University was not issuing new leases, and then-current residents continued to move out or pass away.

In 2004 the University sold the building to a private developer, who will turn the building into luxury family condos. The University cited large maintenance costs and students' desires to be closer to campus as factors in the decision. The Shoreland will remain a dormitory until at least 2008, as the University constructs a new dorm.

Street address: 5454 S South Shore Dr Chicago, Illinois United States 60615 County / Borough / Parish: Cook Year listed: 1986 Historic (Areas of) Significance: Architecture & social history Periods of significance: 1925-1949 Historic function: Residential Hotel Current function: Dormitory (soon to be condos) Privately owned?: yes Primary Web Site: [Web Link] Secondary Website 1: [Web Link] Season start / Season finish: Not listed Hours of operation: Not listed Secondary Website 2: Not listed National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   06/09/2010 adgorn visited it 06/11/2006 Shorelander visited it

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