Wheeler Mansion
Chicago
This stately mansion, located just south of the Prairie Avenue Historic District, was completed in 1885 and has served as a private residence for two prominent Chicago businessmen. Calvin T. Wheeler, the home’s original owner, was an early president of the Chicago Board of Trade. The following owner was a successful Chicago clothier, Joseph Kohn. Over the years, the neighborhood fell into decline and the mansion was no longer desirable as a single family home. As a result, the property was used for various commercial purposes and eventually stood vacant before it was purchased and restored by the current owner. Following a two-year rehabilitation, the mansion reopened in 1999 as an elegant boutique hotel serving business and leisure travelers. The City of Chicago selected the Wheeler Mansion as the first local landmark to receive a Class-L property tax incentive. The jury recognized the fortitude of the property owner for taking on a challenging rehabilitation project in “what was viewed by many as a risky neighborhood for commercial investment.” The Wheeler Mansion has been recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Restore America program and was profiled on the HGTV Network.