Strand Hotel
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Why it's listed
Rising five stories above South Cottage Grove Avenue in Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood, this hotel was completed in 1915 near the busy intersection of 63rd Street and Cottage Grove. The area was once among the largest commercial centers in the city outside downtown, and few historic buildings from that period remain. The hotel combines deep red face brick with cream-colored terra cotta in a Classical Revival design, with a symmetrical front, multi-story piers and a projecting cornice. Upper floors form a U-shape around a rear light court and held 140 guest rooms, while the ground floor held storefronts and a rear lobby. The structure uses load-bearing masonry walls, reinforced concrete columns and clay-tile arch floors for fire resistance. Original storefronts and many windows are gone, and the interior has deteriorated badly during vacancy. The brick and terra cotta facade remains in good condition and still conveys the building's historic appearance, which is the basis for its listing as a surviving reminder of Woodlawn's commercial past.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the Strand Hotel as one of the few surviving buildings at the 63rd Street and Cottage Grove intersection, once one of Chicago's largest commercial centers outside downtown. It exemplifies Woodlawn's commercial growth in the first half of the 20th century. Its Classical Revival design and good exterior integrity also support its significance.
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 12001237, listed January 29, 2013. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 6315-6323 S. Cottage Grove Ave., Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | January 29, 2013 |
| Reference number | 12001237 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Areas of significance | Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant; the interior is in very poor condition after prolonged roof failure and neglect, and the storefronts and many windows have been removed or boarded over, though the masonry is in good condition. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 41.78176, -87.60548 (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 12001237.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q85803639
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.