Guyon Hotel

The Guyon Hotel is a historic former hotel in Chicago, Illinois. The hotel was designed by Jensen J. Jensen - no relation to the famous landscape architect Jens Jensen - in 1927 and was built in red and cream brick with arched windows on two floors and exquisite, detailed terra cotta ornaments typical of Jensen's work.[3][4] It was built at a cost of $1,650,000 by J. Louis Guyon, a French-Canadian nightclub owner and dance instructor.[1]

Guyon Hotel
The Guyon Hotel in 2010
Location4000 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago, Illinois
Coordinates41°52′55″N 87°43′35″W
Arealess than one acre
Built1928 (1928)
ArchitectJensen J. Jensen
Architectural styleMoorish Revival[1]
NRHP reference No.85000966[2]
Added to NRHPMay 9, 1985

The Guyon Hotel's first floor included commercial space and the hotel's lobby.[4] Two ballrooms were located on the second floor.[4] Guyon resided in the south penhouse.[4]

After the hotel opened in 1928, owner J. Louis Guyon mounted two AM radio towers to broadcast his radio station, WGES; the station aired morally conservative programming and music.[1] One of the second floor ballrooms was used as the station's studio.[4] Control of WGES was transferred to Harry and Thomas Guyon in the mid-1930s, and the station left the hotel in 1942, but it continues to broadcast as WGRB.[5][6][7][8] The hotel entered into receivership during the Great Depression, and in 1939 it was sold for $425,000.[1] In 1940, it was sold to Jack Galper and George London.[1] In 1948, the AM towers were replaced with an FM tower, and WOAK began broadcasts from the hotel.[9][10][4] WOAK became WFMT in 1951 and began airing classical music.[11] In 1954, the station's studios and transmitter were moved to the LaSalle–Wacker Building.[9][11] In 1964, the hotel was sold for $500,000.[1]

In 1985, the Guyon Hotel was sold to the Lutheran non-profit organization Bethel New Life, who renovated the building and converted it to affordable housing.[1] Former President Jimmy Carter stayed in the renovated hotel for a week while working on a rehabilitation project with Habitat for Humanity; his room was reportedly "roach-infested" and "furnished with only a couch and a milk crate".[1] The housing effort ultimately failed when Bethel New Life ran out of funds. The building currently lies vacant and has changed possession over six times since 1995.[3] Due to building code violations, the hotel is in city demolition court; it is considered one of the ten most endangered landmarks in Illinois by the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois.[12]

The Guyon Hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 9, 1985.[2]

References
  1. Moser, Whet (April 27, 2012). "A Short History of Chicago's Beautiful, Decrepit Guyon Hotel". Chicago. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
  2. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  3. Ori, Ryan. "Historic West Side hotel for sale at $500,000", Crain's Chicago Business. October 20, 2016. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
  4. "National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form: Guyon Hotel" (PDF). National Park Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 2, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
  5. Federal Communications Commission Reports: Decisions, Reports, Public Notices, and Other Documents of the Federal Communications Commission of the United States. Federal Communications Commission. July 1934–July 1935. Volume 1. pp. 125-127. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  6. 1938 Yearbook Number, Broadcasting, 1938. p. 68. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  7. "F.C.C. Activities", Radio Daily. September 15, 1937. p. 8. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  8. History Cards for WGRB, fcc.gov. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  9. Ghrist, John R. (1996). Valley Voices: A Radio History. Crossroads Communications. pp. 353-354.
  10. "FM Outlet Histories", Broadcasting — Telecasting. A Continuing Study of Major Radio Markets: Study No. 7: Chicago. October 25, 1948. p. 21-22. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  11. Von Rhein, John. "A strong signal", Chicago Tribune. December 16, 2011. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
  12. "Hotel Guyon". 2012 Ten Most Endangered Historic Places. Landmarks Illinois. Archived from the original on March 10, 2013. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
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