A signature hotel arrived quickly and now amplifies Chicago’s River North vibe.

Chicago’s vibrant River North neighborhood is the seventh U.S. location for this European-born Marriott boutique brand. The eight-story Moxy Hotel appeals to the “fun-hunting” millennial traveler with affordability, style, comfort and community.

Successful construction in the hospitality industry depends on speed to market. In translating this innovative brand’s aesthetic from concept to construction, we relied on 3D modeling to ensure perfection and eliminate surprises.

One of our primary challenges with the Moxy Chicago Downtown was building an eight-story, 62,000-square-foot hotel in a neighborhood whose zoning laws limit total height to 80 feet. We kept ceilings as high as possible while still accommodating the mechanical, electrical and plumbing a hotel needs.

Location
Chicago, Illinois
Owner
White Lodging Services
Architect
DLR Group
Photography
Steinkamp

The idea is that guests won’t spend much time in their rooms, so the 156 guest rooms are comfortably small.

The multipurpose lobby functions as a reception area, bar, breakfast area, work space, living room and even a taco counter, Zombie Taco, which features a 24-hour outdoor walk-up window.

Also outside, a six-story abstract mural integrates into the façade.

Putting BIM to Work

Structural design required more than 100 steel beam penetrations, a tricky and costly process if done in the field. By leveraging Building Information Modeling (BIM) and carefully collaborating with all of our design and trade partners, we dramatically reduced cutting in the field and maintained a tight schedule.