The Blackstone Chicago Autograph Collection Restored Hotel

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As an architectural photographer with an appreciation for architecture, history and impeccably designed décor & interiors, we appreciate the completed restoration & history behind Michigan Avenue’s the Blackstone Chicago Autograph Collection Restored Hotel.  From the Blackstone Chicago Autograph Collection hotel exterior’s historic renovated building elevation photos, to photography inside the Blackstone hotel, every inch of the renovated modern and eclectic historic hotel, for a traveling Chicago hotel photographer like us, is a dream to photograph. Step inside the Blackstone Chicago Autograph Collection hotel, or inside any of the handpicked worldwide  Marriott International Autograph Collection’s hotels, and be amazed by the design, local lifestyle and extraordinary experience. As preferred hotel photographers in Chicago, for The Blackstone Chicago and Autograph Collection Hotel Corporation, we have toured and captured exterior and room photography inside nearly every space in the interior of the hotel, from the suites, rooms, and glamourous event spaces inside the boutique, regal Chicago Blackstone hotel.

It is easy to fall in love with each of the hundreds of Autograph Collection hotels. Just like inside Chicago’s restored Blackstone Chicago hotel, each Autograph hotel property has a way of staying connected to their geographical surroundings, local cultural & historical roots. This gives guests a bit more of an authentic stay and experience. Inside the Blackstone Hotel Chicago, appreciate the hotel’s refined details of the human touch, evidence of interior hotel designers & visionaries obsessing over every detail, and heartfelt design & emotion providing for an overall in tune sense of place and comfortable stay in Chicago’s South Loop.

Oh, and we stopped in for a Catalan-inspired cocktail and a bite to eat, eating tapas at the Chicago local’s favorite restaurant Mercat a la Planxa on Michigan Avenue, on the street level of the hotel.  Highly recommended a visit and taste.

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An iconic looking building standing within Chicago’s skyline, the Blackstone Chicago Autograph Collection Hotel, Michigan Avenue high-rise building with brick and limestone facade elevation, stands tall presenting its story of history, glamour, and hospitality for over a century. The Chicago Blackstone Hotel opening day was April 6, 1910.  Since the hotel’s opening day, the Blackstone has attracted celebrities, socialites, politicians, travelers to Chicago, business travelers, couples, newlyweds getting married, and more over the past century. The hotel named “The Hotel of Presidents” fits as the historic Chicago hotel proudly has hosted several foreign dignitaries and heads of state, from Teddy Roosevelt to Jimmy Carter. Also hosting various icons from as the Astors, Rockefellers, and Vanderbilts, to Lena Horne, Marilyn Monroe, Nat King Cole, Rudolph Valentino, and even visits by the legendary mob bosses “Lucky” Luciano and Al Capone. In 1998, Chicago declared the Blackstone as a historic landmark. However at that time, it was in need of redevelopment and standing in construction despair. Renovation of the historic hotel began in 2006, with the rehab construction completed and a reopening celebration in 2008 celebrating the restored building. The Blackstone most recently had a $139-million hotel architectural restoration in 2008 with the renovation was led by Chicago-based Gettys Group. Restoration of the Blackstone included a refresh to the original work of Chicago architectural firm Marshall and Fox to highlight its early twentieth-century grandeur while incorporating technology and modern amenities.

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The restored, historic Blackstone Hotel is located at 636 South Michigan Avenue Chicago and has grand a front lawn as Grant Park. Our hospitality photography in Chicago, started in the South Loop neighborhood for the historic Blackstone hotel, beginning with pictures of the exterior building photographed from across Michigan Avenue. The Blackstone Hotel Chicago Autograph Collection stands amongst the prestigious row of Michigan Avenue hotels (with a neighbor as Hilton Chicago Hotel adjacent over Balbo). The Blackstone Hotel’s rooms and spaces inside the hotel photography are abundant. From luxurious upgraded suites up top of the iconic hotel on the penthouse level, photos inside the Heaven & Sky Suite, Suite of Presidents, and the Smoke Filled Suite to the hotel’s recently renovated modern décor filled 332 guest rooms. Events in Blackstone Hotel’s Crystal Ballroom, entertaining in the Art Hall function space, in the English Room, Lower level Barbershop, and the Mayor’s Office boardroom space. Guests and travelers reviews about the Blackstone, Autograph Collection who maintains its historic landmark status and story all the while embracing a luxuriously modern ambiance and fabulous interior decor.

Miller + Miller Architectural Photography is based in Chicago specializing in architectural, luxurious interiors, renovations, hotels, hospitality development, buildings, residential, commercial construction, and more with clients requesting a portfolio of pictures for building promotional projects and marketing photography needs. We have the luxury of photographing numerous of the finest architecturally built, skyscrapers, hotels, resorts, and high-rise buildings in Chicago and Nationwide. Serving photo clients since 2006, contact our architectural photography company team to discuss and schedule your project.


American Book Company Historic Industrial Building

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This post features a few photographs of the Historic American Book Company Building Chicago – a preserved, reinvestment and rehabilitation building in Chicago’s South Loop located within McCormick Square’s new development. We first stumbled upon this beautiful restored vintage Chicago industrial building unexpectedly after parking and preparing for our client’s new construction project and architectural hotel building photo shoot at the Marriott Marquis Chicago located right next door.  The historic American Book Company building was beautifully illuminated by the sun and it couldn’t resist standing out and making its way into our shoot’s photo composition. The two buildings, standing side by side, presented a new vs vintage juxtaposition example of differing architecture. The new glass and metal construction, 40 story modern skyscraper tower of Marriott Marquis stands towering to the next door 5-story, brick and stone vintage contrasting historic renovated construction of the American Book Company Building.

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Before doing research, we predicted this salvaged building must be of historical significance, perhaps with a story to tell. Turns out it does and has been repurposed as a part of the Marriott Marquis hotel. This post showcases a few exterior photos we captured of the historic American Book Company building in Chicago. Photographs of the relic building’s exterior red brick and stone façade photos. Researching the history of American Book Company building, the property became a Chicago historical building landmark in 2009. Recently renovated, the 5-story industrial building has now become a part of the Marriott Marquis hotel set of properties. The 1912 built landmark, warehouse loft industrial American Book Company Building is a Chicago industrial property landmark with historical significance. According to a Crain Chicago Business’s article, the building built in 1912 originally served as the American Book Company’s Midwest warehouse and distribution center. Later, R.R. Donnelly and Sons Co. bought the property, where it printed Time magazine and Sears Holding Corporation’s catalogs. The Marriott hotel’s neighbor ABC Building is a five-story, historic industrial Midwest warehouse distribution vintage building. Former home and warehouse for the American Book Company.

The ABC Building, now a Chicago relic, stands today as an iconic vintage building standing amongst a grouping of modern skyscrapers, hotels and new developments within the McCormick Court development zone. The historic Landmark American Book Company building has been salvaged and plans are already in place for repurposing the vintage building.  It was during the planning and design building process for the New Community called McCormick Square, the entertainment district near McCormick place planned on incorporating a few existing properties, undergoing redevelopment, or new construction of buildings into the community.

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As a neighbor to new Marriott Marquis hotel, the 1912 built Amercian Book Company historic building stood vacant and in decay for a few years. Although eventually it was determined to preserve and save the building to be renovated, preserved, and set for restoration during the community development process… early on, preliminary concept plans were considering demolishing the historic building.  Original plans for the corner of Cermak and Prairie included a high-rise hotel on the 3.7 acre site with space for a future Casino in the South Loop. These early on development concepts, had no original mention of rehabilitation of the American Book Company building. The Preservation Chicago succeeding in preserving the American Book Company Building saving the building from demolition, opening a new chapter for the American Book Company property’s survival. Located near the redevelopment blocks and area by the McCormick Place Convention Center within the new McCormick Square development, the building has now been repurposed and salvaged.  A part of Chicago’s historical building & history has successfully been kept within the South Loop neighborhood.

The American Book Co. building is a South Loop Chicago landmark building. The brick loft warehouse structural with vintage skybridge walkway and industrial property incorporates today converted modernized room functions. Retail, restaurants, hotel meeting space, and back of the house rooms for the Chicago Marriott Marquis Hotel are within the American Book Company. The ABC building is located at 320-330 East Cermak Road next door to Marriott Marquis hotel, McCormick Place & Convention Center, Wintrust Area, Motor Row, Motor Row Brewery, the Hyatt Regency McCormick Hotel, and more in the new South Loop.

Miller + Miller, Chicago Architectural photographers photograph a variety of building styles.  Whether industrial, residential, commercial, new construction, modern, renovated vintage, or old historic properties in Chicago building photography, our capabilities and list of clientele is diverse.  Visit our Portfolio, About Us section, and Contact Us for a quote or to discuss your business’s property photography photo needs.


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