Pullman neighborhood's historic Hotel Florence to be restored, transformed into boutique hotel

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Efforts to revitalize the Hotel Florence in Chicago's Pullman neighborhood stretch back 50 years, and on Tuesday came news that a special partnership will help breathe new life into this historic building.

For more than a century, the Hotel Florence has stood as a symbol of craftsmanship and community. The namesake of George Pullman's daughter, he built the hotel in 1881 as part of his planned industrial town.

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Now, the hotel will be a hub of hospitality once again, thanks to a new public-private partnership.

"Hotel Florence will again become a destination for visitors, whether they're coming from down the street or anywhere around the world," said Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.

The $100 million partnership will transform the building into a boutique hotel, dining destination and cultural and performing arts hub, building on the revitalization of Pullman, a national historical park.

"We have been trying for years to make sure that the Pullman community is the gem of the South Side," said 9th Ward Ald. Anthony Beale.

Mike Shymanski, the former president of the Historic Pullman Foundation, helped lead the charge to save Hotel Florence years ago. By the 1970s, it had fallen into disrepair.

"Without this place, you don't have an engaging understanding of history. Otherwise, you're reading it in books, or you're seeing it on video," Shymanski said.

Architectural renderings for the hotel will be revealed in the coming months. The plans include modern amenities while preserving the historic structure of the building.