New Luxury LGBTQ+ Hotel Planned for Chicago's Northalsted

Published by The Daily Scout

What happened

Tryst Hospitality has announced plans to open a new luxury hotel in Chicago's Northalsted neighborhood. The project is designed to cater specifically to the LGBTQ+ community and aims to further establish the area as a premier destination.

Why it matters

- The proposed five-story, 21-room hotel will be located at 3350-3352 N. Halsted St., the former site of the D.S. Tequila bar, which Tryst acquired in 2024. Plans include a restaurant, a nightclub, and a fully enclosed rooftop pool and bar designed to minimize noise and be used year-round. - An entity led by Tryst founder Tristan Schukraft purchased the property for $3.1 million, and the project now requires a zoning change from the City Council to move forward. The company has begun the community review process with neighborhood groups and 44th Ward Alderman Bennett Lawson. - This is the second boutique hotel development planned for the immediate area, joining the Backbeat Hotel, a 50-room project at 3255 N. Halsted St. That project, approved by the City Council in 2023, is slated to open in 2028. - Tristan Schukraft, Tryst Hospitality's founder, also founded Mistr, a telehealth platform for HIV prevention which operates a clinic just blocks away from the proposed hotel site. His expanding portfolio of LGBTQ-focused businesses includes the iconic Abbey bar in West Hollywood and 75% of the commercial district in Fire Island Pines. - The Chicago hotel is part of a global expansion for the Tryst brand, which aims to establish luxury hotels in top LGBTQ+ destinations. The company has existing locations in Puerto Vallarta and San Juan, with others planned for Fire Island, Provincetown, and Rio de Janeiro. - The development aligns with a larger trend in Chicago's hospitality market, which has seen growing demand for boutique and lifestyle hotels. Overall hotel performance in the city remains strong, with Chicago setting a record for hotel bookings last year at 11.9 million nightly stays. - The project's architecture and design are being led by the Chicago-based firm NEWLOOK

Key numbers

  • - The proposed five-story, 21-room hotel will be located at 3350-3352 N.
  • Tequila bar, which Tryst acquired in 2024.
  • An entity led by Tryst founder Tristan Schukraft purchased the property for $3.1 million, and the project now requires a zoning change from the City Council to move forward.
  • The company has begun the community review process with neighborhood groups and 44th Ward Alderman Bennett Lawson.

What happens next

  • The proposed five-story, 21-room hotel will be located at 3350-3352 N.
  • Plans include a restaurant, a nightclub, and a fully enclosed rooftop pool and bar designed to minimize noise and be used year-round.
  • The Chicago hotel is part of a global expansion for the Tryst brand, which aims to establish luxury hotels in top LGBTQ+ destinations.

Quick answers

What happened in New Luxury LGBTQ+ Hotel Planned for Chicago's Northalsted?

Tryst Hospitality has announced plans to open a new luxury hotel in Chicago's Northalsted neighborhood. The project is designed to cater specifically to the LGBTQ+ community and aims to further establish the area as a premier destination.

Why does New Luxury LGBTQ+ Hotel Planned for Chicago's Northalsted matter?

The proposed five-story, 21-room hotel will be located at 3350-3352 N. Halsted St., the former site of the D.S. Tequila bar, which Tryst acquired in 2024. Plans include a restaurant, a nightclub, and a fully enclosed rooftop pool and bar designed to minimize noise and be used year-round. An entity led by Tryst founder Tristan Schukraft purchased the property for $3.1 million, and the project now requires a zoning change from the City Council to move forward. The company has begun the community review process with neighborhood groups and 44th Ward Alderman Bennett Lawson. This is the second boutique hotel development planned for the immediate area, joining the Backbeat Hotel, a 50-room project at 3255 N. Halsted St. That project, approved by the City Council in 2023, is slated to open in 2028. Tristan Schukraft, Tryst Hospitality's founder, also founded Mistr, a telehealth platform for HIV prevention which operates a clinic just blocks away from the proposed hotel site. His expanding portfolio of LGBTQ-focused businesses includes the iconic Abbey bar in West Hollywood and 75% of the commercial district in Fire Island Pines. The Chicago hotel is part of a global expansion for the Tryst brand, which aims to establish luxury hotels in top LGBTQ+ destinations. The company has existing locations in Puerto Vallarta and San Juan, with others planned for Fire Island, Provincetown, and Rio de Janeiro. The development aligns with a larger trend in Chicago's hospitality market, which has seen growing demand for boutique and lifestyle hotels. Overall hotel performance in the city remains strong, with Chicago setting a record for hotel bookings last year at 11.9 million nightly stays. The project's architecture and design are being led by the Chicago-based firm NEWLOOK

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