Somerset Hotel
Also known as: Hotel Mayer; Hotel Roosevelt
Why it's listed
Rising eight stories at the corner of South Wabash Avenue and Roosevelt Road, this hotel was built in 1892-1893 to designs by Chicago architect Jules De Horvath. Its dark red pressed brick walls, curved window bays, stone stringcourses and round-arched top-floor windows reflect the Romanesque Revival style and ideas then being developed for Chicago high-rise hotels. The building was intended for people of modest means, with 18 single rooms per floor, simple interiors and a ground-floor lobby with retail shops. Census records show residents were mostly young, single clerks and other workers. It later operated as Hotel Mayer and Hotel Roosevelt. A 1947 remodeling covered the first two floors in white enameled metal panels, but the upper six floors keep their original character. The building is now largely vacant. It was listed for its architectural qualities as a well-preserved late nineteenth-century Chicago hotel.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is significant under Criterion C for architecture. It reflects design elements Chicago architects developed for high-rise hotels and apartment buildings in the late 1880s and 1890s. Its brickwork, swelling bays and round-arched top-story windows give it local prominence, and the upper floors keep their original design integrity despite a 1947 remodeling of the base.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 00000153, listed March 3, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1152-1154 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | March 3, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00000153 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1892-1893 |
| Architect / builder | De Horvath, Jules, architect |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Romanesque Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently vacant except for a single storefront; the ground floor was remodeled in 1947 with white enameled metal panels. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 41.86770, -87.62614 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 00000153.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14688092
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.