The Albany

The Albany
Life Span: 1873-1985
Location: 108 N. Clark Street (516 N. Clark)
Architect: Unknown

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1874

Shoenfeld Bros.

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1904
Palace Hotel, 101 N. Clark

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1911
Palace Hotel, 518 N. Clark

Chicago Tribune, May 9, 1875

A Very Encouraging Aspect—Shoenfeld, Bros. & Co.
The North Side begins to give cheering indications of a return to good times. Shoenfeld Bros., importers and retailers of dry goods, carpets, eto., 101 and 103 North Clark street, established in 1856, report the present as a great improvement over all preceding years, with a general return of old patrons of the house, which is the oldest of the North Division, carrying a very large stock, including a full line of curtain goods, window-shades, etc.

Inter Ocean, June 10, 1883

THE ALBANY MODEL FLATS.
Situated in the most accessible and choicest residence portion of the North Division, at the corner of North Clark and Indiana streets, are the “Hotel Albany model flats” These flats were designed by an architect who has had a familiar acquaintance with the best examples in European cities, and they are so arranged that every room is a front room. The flats may well be called “model,” as in their appointments, both in safety from fire by unusual appliances in the way of escapes and water supply, and in arrangements for comfort in having hot and cold water in both bath rooms and kitchens, steam radiators etc., they are excelled by none and equated by few. Thanks to iron shutters, stand-pipes throughout the building, and the three immense tanks containing 5,000 gallons of water for domestic supply and elevator use, not to detail the unique equipment for escape, these flats can defy the fire fiend. The elevators, both passenger and freight, run till midnight, and the brilliant electric light turns night to day. The aesthetics of the structure have not been less elaborated than the more practical and utilitarian features. Thus, the interior finish is a study in completeners and taste, the stone floors of the hallway corresponding with the ebony mantels and warm, rich decorations. of the apartments. The flats throughout are simply gems.

In the purchase of this property and the construction of these flats the owners, William H. Dillingham, Esq, a capitalist, of Louisville, Ky., and James M. Gamble, the well-known real estate dealer of this city, have invested about $100,000. There are in the building a few elegant flats, a few of which are still in the market. “The Hotel Albany” is now open for the inspection of tenants, and plans can be seen at the office of M. Gamble & Co., 38 and 40 Dearborn street, at any time.

Chicago Tribune, June 10, 1883

THE HOTEL ALBANY
Any one who has seen the “Hotel Albany.” at the corner of Clark and Indiana streets, has doubtless been impressed with its beauty of design and its elegant appointments. It was recently, remodeled, is today, from an architectural point of view, one of the finest French flats on the con-tinent. Every modern convenience is found within it, and the decorations in the halls and suites of rooms, which are so arranged as to meet every requirement of families, are of a character to please the most artistic eye. The building cost the owners, William H. Dillingham and James M. Gamble, the well-known real-estate dealer of this city, $100,000.

Chicago Tribune, May 31, 1914

Mark Levy & Bro. have leased for the Lott Hotel company to Gavare Brosti the space in the new St. Regis hotel at the southwest corner of North Clark street and Grand avenue for a term of ten years at a term rent of $39,000. They also have leased for Samuel and Abraham Cooper the cigar privilege in the building at 15-19 South Wabash avenue.

This hotel was built in six stages, the first of which was opened as the Albany Hotel in April, 1873. Its four stories became the present (1985) six in 1883, and it was renamed the Grand Palace Hotel around 1888.

The cornice at the top of the building, the lintels over the windows and the ornamental designs over the bay windows are signatures of the era and of architectural interest. Sometime in the decade following a $90,000 remodeling in 1914, the Grand Palace was renamed the St. Regis after St. John Regis (1597-1640), a French Jesuit who ministered to the sick and founded a refuge for wayward women.

In its heyday it was one of the “theater hotels” serving the stars who played in the Loop. Bing Crosby, legend has it, favored the St. Regis when he appeared here.

Opened in April, 1873; six stories and one basement high, on spread foundations. The north corner portion, 54 feet by 80 feet, was renamed The Palace Hotel. From an examination of the exterior building fabric, fenestration, and ornament, it would appear that the present structure is the result of several additions. The south three, six-story bays are distinctly one building, perhaps added later. The north five bays, up to the fourth story, are probably the original building, upon which two additional stories were added. Thus, the present building is composed of eight irregularly spaced bays, all six stories in height and united by a continuous cornice.

Approximately 80′ x 100′. Six stories and basement. Eight bays on east (Worth Clark Street) front; south three equal; and north five have 2-1-2-1-2 rhythm (beginning with the fourth story – which was probably the top story of the original building – the narrow bays have two windows below a single hood-mould.) Bays on north (West Grand Avenue) side have 2-3-2-3-2 rhythm.

1892 Expansion Plan:

The scheme for extending this hotel is to result in establishing one of the greatest hostelries in the world on the North Side. It is to contain 800 rooms and to cover two entire sides of a block. The plans, which have been prepared, provide for a seven-story building, to extend from the corner of Clark and Indiana (Grand) streets south to Illinois street and west on Illinois street The Palace Hotel, 100 feet on Clark street and 80 feet on Indiana street, occupies the corner. It is seven stories and basement high. Next to this is an alley. South of this is a four-story building, and on the corner is a building five stories high. The entire Clark street frontage is to be brought up to the height of the Palace Hotel, the additional stories will be of the lightest possible composition. The walls will probably be built of hollow brick and terra cotta. It has been decided to build bay-windows over the alley. On the Illinois street side the plans are not so well developed. The hotel company has leased eighty feet in addition to the eighty-foot corner. This will be built up eighty-three feet high, to correspond with the Clark street frontage. The reconstructed building is to be known as the Grand Palace Hotel, and will cost $300,000, and will be under the management of C . P. Newberry, owner and proprietor of the present Palace Hotel

Grand Palace Hotel Expansion Plan

The Albany

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