Chicago’s architectural history is not limited to museums, landmarks and office towers. Throughout the city, former hotels, schools, offices, factories and early apartment buildings have been restored or converted into contemporary rental residences.
These buildings offer something new construction cannot reproduce: original masonry, decorative terra cotta, grand lobbies, oversized windows, terrazzo floors, exposed timber and stories accumulated over decades.
Here are 10 historic Chicago apartment buildings that continue to operate as rental properties. They are presented alphabetically rather than ranked.
Apartment availability changes frequently. Contact each property directly for current rental information.
The Alfred
30 East Adams Street · The Loop · Originally constructed in 1925
The Alfred occupies the former Hartmann Building, a vintage Loop office building designed by prominent Chicago architect Alfred S. Alschuler.
Alschuler also designed several notable Chicago buildings, including the London Guarantee Building, which is now home to the LondonHouse hotel. The Alfred was named in recognition of its original architect.
The historic office building was converted into 176 apartments and reopened as a residential property in 2019. Elements such as original hardwood floors, large Chicago-style windows and a marble staircase were preserved during the conversion.
The building now offers studios, one-bedroom apartments and two-bedroom apartments. Modern additions include updated kitchens, in-unit laundry, a fitness center, resident workspaces and a rooftop deck.
Its location places residents near Millennium Park, the Art Institute of Chicago, State Street and multiple CTA lines.
The Belden-Stratford
2300 North Lincoln Park West · Lincoln Park · Built in 1923
The Belden-Stratford opened in 1923 as an elegant residential hotel overlooking Lincoln Park.
Designed by architect Meyer Fridstein, the building was originally known as The Belden. It was promoted as one of Chicago’s most distinctive hotels and featured elaborate interiors intended to attract affluent residents and long-term guests.
The 16-story building is clad in brick and decorative terra cotta and incorporates architectural influences associated with grand European hotels. Its location directly across from Lincoln Park, the Lincoln Park Zoo and the Lincoln Park Conservatory remains one of its defining characteristics.
The property eventually transitioned entirely to rental apartments. A substantial restoration completed around its centennial preserved the building’s historic character while updating the residences, building systems and shared spaces.
The Belden-Stratford is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Visit The Belden-Stratford website
The Bush Temple
108 West Chicago Avenue · Near North Side · Built in 1901
The Bush Temple is one of Chicago’s most unusual residential conversions.
The historic building was constructed in 1901 for the Bush & Gerts Piano Company. It served as a piano showroom, office building and music venue, with an auditorium that helped inspire the name Bush Temple of Music.
Architect J.E.O. Pridmore designed the building in a French Renaissance Revival style sometimes described as French Chateauesque. Its ornate exterior, corner tower and decorative details make it distinctive among the surrounding Near North Side buildings.
The music auditorium was removed during the 1920s, and the property later operated primarily as office space. After years of underuse, the building was restored and converted into apartments.
The historic structure is now connected to a contemporary residential tower. A restored Bush & Gerts piano in the lobby references the property’s musical history.
The Draper
5050 North Broadway · Uptown · Originally constructed during the 1950s
The Draper shows that historic preservation does not have to be limited to ornate buildings from the early 1900s.
The property was originally constructed during the 1950s as the headquarters of Combined Insurance. Its connected office buildings reflected the period’s modern commercial architecture.
After the office space became largely vacant, the property was converted into more than 340 apartments. The adaptive-reuse project retained the existing structural framework while introducing new residential interiors and amenity spaces.
The renovation drew inspiration from the building’s midcentury origins rather than attempting to make it resemble a newer glass apartment tower.
The Draper is located near the Argyle Red Line station and the restaurants and businesses of Uptown’s Asia on Argyle district.
The Flamingo
5500 South Shore Drive · Hyde Park · Built in 1927
The Flamingo was constructed in 1927 as the Flamingo Apartment Hotel. Designed by architect William C. Reichert, the building combined private apartments with hotel rooms and resort-style amenities.
Its Classical Revival design includes a red-brick exterior, terra-cotta ornamentation and a detailed cornice. The building originally contained 144 apartments, 16 hotel rooms, an outdoor swimming pool and a bathhouse.
The Flamingo’s location near Lake Michigan helped establish it as a residential destination away from the congestion of downtown while remaining accessible to the city.
Today, the building operates as a rental property offering studios, convertibles, one-bedroom apartments and two-bedroom apartments. Its outdoor pool remains an unusual connection to the building’s original apartment-hotel concept.
The Flamingo was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.
The Lawrence House
1020 West Lawrence Avenue · Uptown · Built in 1928
The Lawrence House was constructed in 1928 as a luxury apartment hotel during Uptown’s rise as one of Chicago’s leading entertainment districts.
Originally known as the New Lawrence Hotel, the property accommodated residents and visitors attracted to nearby music venues, theaters and entertainment. It later operated as a retirement hotel before falling into disrepair.
The building was eventually restored and converted into contemporary apartments. The renovation preserved several important interior details, including its original skylight, terrazzo flooring and mosaic pool tile.
The restored indoor swimming pool is one of the most distinctive historic amenity spaces found in a Chicago apartment building.
The Lawrence House now includes apartments, a large fitness center, coworking areas, a rooftop lounge and ground-floor businesses. Its location remains convenient to the Aragon Ballroom, Riviera Theatre, Green Mill and CTA Red Line.
Visit The Lawrence House website
The Otis
1435 West 15th Street · Near West Side/Pilsen · Originally constructed in the early 1900s
The Otis occupies a former Otis Elevator Company industrial building near the northern edge of Pilsen.
The brick-and-timber structure was used for manufacturing and warehouse operations associated with elevator production. Public sources identify construction during the early 1900s, with portions of the property dating to approximately 1912.
The building was later converted into 92 loft-style apartments. Its industrial character remains visible through oversized factory windows, exposed brick walls, timber beams and high ceilings.
The residences combine these original architectural elements with contemporary kitchens, open layouts and in-unit laundry. Building amenities include a fitness center, rooftop lounge and outdoor deck.
The Otis provides an example of how Chicago’s industrial buildings can be adapted for residential use without erasing their original identity.
The Patricians
401–411 West Fullerton Parkway · Lincoln Park · Built in 1928
The Patricians is a 17-story vintage apartment building located near Lincoln Park and the lakefront.
Completed in 1928, the building was designed by R.F. France and Company and contains approximately 276 apartments. Unlike several properties on this list, The Patricians was built for residential use rather than converted from a hotel, office or factory.
Its apartments retain architectural details that are uncommon in newer construction, including arched doorways, crown molding, hardwood floors, bay windows and defined dining areas.
Renovated residences combine these original elements with updated kitchens and bathrooms. The building also includes a fitness center, rooftop deck and resident lounge.
The Patricians demonstrates the continuing appeal of Chicago’s purpose-built apartment towers from the 1920s.
Somerset Place
5009 North Sheridan Road · Uptown · Built in 1919
Somerset Place was originally constructed in 1919 as the Somerset Hotel.
Designed in the Renaissance Revival style by architect and original owner Samuel N. Crowen, the hotel contained 205 suites. It was promoted both as an exclusive residential hotel and as a summer resort for Chicago’s middle- and upper-income residents.
Residential hotels occupied an important position in early-20th-century Chicago. They offered furnished suites and hotel-style services to residents who wanted more flexibility than a traditional apartment lease.
Somerset Place eventually transitioned from hotel use to apartments. The restored property retains architectural references to its earlier history while offering modern rental residences and shared amenities.
Its Uptown location provides access to the Argyle entertainment and dining district, the CTA Red Line and Chicago’s lakefront.
Visit the Somerset Place website
Stewart School Lofts
4525 North Kenmore Avenue · Uptown · Built in 1907
Stewart School Lofts occupies the former Graeme Stewart Elementary School, which opened in 1907.
The historic school building was designed around large classrooms, wide corridors and tall windows intended to bring natural light into educational spaces. These original proportions helped make the property suitable for conversion into distinctive loft apartments.
The residential redevelopment preserved the school’s historic character while introducing modern apartments and shared amenities. Former classroom spaces became residences with high ceilings, large windows and layouts unlike those found in conventional apartment buildings.
Stewart School Lofts is located in Uptown near the Wilson CTA station, music venues, restaurants and the lakefront.
The project demonstrates how an obsolete public building can be preserved and given a new residential purpose.
Visit the Stewart School Lofts website
Why Historic Chicago Apartment Buildings Still Exist
Chicago experienced enormous growth during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Hotels, apartment hotels, factories, schools and commercial buildings were constructed throughout neighborhoods connected by streetcars and elevated train lines.
As the city changed, many of these buildings outlived their original purposes. Hotels closed, industrial operations relocated, schools became obsolete and older office buildings struggled to compete with modern commercial space.
Adaptive reuse allowed many properties to survive. Converting an existing building into apartments can preserve its architecture while giving the property a financially viable new purpose.
Chicago has converted dozens of older buildings into residential properties, creating thousands of apartments inside structures that might otherwise have remained vacant or been demolished.
What to Consider Before Renting in a Historic Building
Historic buildings offer character, but renters should evaluate them just as carefully as new construction.
Questions worth asking include:
- Have the plumbing and electrical systems been updated?
- Does the building have central air conditioning?
- Are the windows original, restored or replaced?
- How much sound transfers between apartments?
- Does the building have in-unit or shared laundry?
- Have elevators and fire-safety systems been modernized?
- Which architectural elements are original?
- Are utilities included in the rent?
- Are there restrictions related to the building’s landmark status?
- Which amenities are available to all residents?
A successful historic renovation should preserve the qualities that make the building distinctive while upgrading the systems residents depend on every day.
These historic Chicago apartment buildings prove that renting a distinctive home doesn’t require new construction, since some of the city’s most character-filled addresses date back more than a century.
About the Information
Construction dates, original uses and building histories were assembled from publicly available property, preservation, architectural and real estate industry sources.
Buildings are presented alphabetically rather than ranked. Current apartment availability, building access and property information should be confirmed directly with each management company.
Information was reviewed in August 2026. Contact Chicago Apartment Buildings to suggest a correction or recommend another historic rental building for inclusion.