The Kimpton Hotel at 39 South LaSalle is the adaptive reuse of the historic New York Life Insurance Building, transforming one of Chicago’s earliest high rise structures into a full service Kimpton Hotel. Originally designed by William Le Baron Jenney and constructed in 1894 as a 12 story office building, the structure evolved over time through a series of additions, including a 13 story horizontal expansion and subsequent vertical additions that ultimately resulted in the current 14 story configuration. The project required careful integration of modern hospitality amenities within a building that reflects multiple generations of structural design and construction.

Forefront Structural Engineers provided structural engineering services to support the conversion of the historic property into a contemporary hotel featuring a new lobby, guest rooms, fitness facilities, restaurant spaces, and a rooftop ballroom. The adaptive reuse required extensive evaluation of the existing structure and thoughtful modifications to accommodate new loading conditions, circulation requirements, and building systems while preserving the character of the landmark building. Working closely with the design and construction teams, Forefront developed solutions that balanced historic preservation with the performance expectations of a modern hospitality destination, allowing a significant piece of Chicago’s architectural history to continue serving the city in a new capacity.