BOOM
TABLE ON WELLS
The Clayton,
Chicago’s Coolest Club
A new private cigar club opening in Chicago reinvents historic architecture, bringing modern luxury to classic tastes.
Chicago's newest members-only club celebrates the city's past with an infusion of modern luxury, thanks to interior designer Sandra Espinet. The California-based designer brings her talents to Chicago for The Clayton, a private cigar club set to open next year.
"It's very masculine, very modern," says Espinet, of the club's interior. She chose colors like plum, dark peacock, and grey to create a warm, inviting and elegant feel. The Canal Street club contains two top floors with a lounge and private area. The street level will house a retail cigar shop where visitors can buy exotic cigars. The basement, which like the top levels is members-only, contains a media room, a poker room, a locker room and showers.
"It's very high-end," says Espinet. "People are going to want to become a member because of the level of service they offer, and the range of cigar offerings."
By Rebecca Holland • Photo credit- Sara Richardson
Espinet, who has done two residential projects in Chicago but mostly works in Los Angeles and Los Cabos, where her company is based, said this project was fun because of the history of Chicago buildings. "It's a really great old building, and the fact that we were able to recycle it into something new is really cool," she says. Keeping with the warehouse feel of the original building, Espinet kept the old wood flooring, the exposed brick walls and exposed beams, and large windows. To this, she added new finishes like custom chandeliers and furniture. "The finishes are very nice and compatible with the old feel, it's new and old mixed, very much a Chicago feel," she says.
She says the project was exciting because it was something new for her. "I've done hotels before, so in that sense it's similar, but there aren't that many cigar bars to begin with so this was a really interesting project," she says. Plus, as she's now a member, it gives her an excuse to come back to Chicago more regularly.
"Chicago is such a beautiful city," says, "amazing buildings and art. If the weather wasn't so bad I could live there!"
CHICAGO’S NEW CONSTRUCTION HOUSING BOOM… 2016 Shows Promise
In 2007 Chicago joined other states with the sudden crash of the housing market. However, in 2015 things seemed to turn around and construction cranes could be seen around the city again. If you drive throughout Chicago neighborhoods, you will see new construction booming from Lincoln Park, to the heart of the loop, into the West Loop/South Loop and as far as Bronzeville and Hyde Park.
This is really no surprise, since the “pent up” demand for new construction is at a record high. Many potential homeowner’s and renter’s have been waiting for the return of new construction properties. There is nothing like being the first person to live in a brand new home...and many home buyers agree.
New construction originally began with a surge of rental properties hitting the market in about 2012. With the shift from homeowners to renters, investors quickly realized they could cash in on the shift. There were suddenly dozens of new rental properties flooding pretty much every neighborhood. Since so many previous and potential homeowners, were fearful of owing after the housing crisis, rental occupancy skyrocketed.