UPDATE: Boystown’s OUT Hotel Gets Makeover in New Renderings

Developers of the proposed OUT Chicago Urban Resort listened to neighbors, went back to the drawing board and released new plans Monday for a completely redesigned hotel.

Ian Reisner, managing partner of Parkview Developers and founder of The OUT NYC, now plans to build a 8-story hotel in the heart of Boystown at 3343 N. Halsted St. Designed to be “straight friendly,” the resort would cater to the LGBT community.

Reisner came to the community in March with plans for a 12-story hotel, but was shot down by neighborhood officials over the height. Then in May, a new 10-story design was introduced to neighbors, but still received criticism over its height.

After working with designers Koo and Associates, Reisner is back and prepared to discuss his new concept at an upcoming Belmont Harbor Neighbors meeting. Initial design details were released via the community group Triangle Neighbors Monday morning.

Along with cutting off two more stories, designs now show there are no longer plans to build over Sidetrack. The hotel will take over Marks Chinese restaurant and Mini Bar, and then be built over the building that houses the restaurant Wood. The eighth story will also be set back from the road as to give the illusion of seven stories.

That’s combined with eliminating all balconies to individual rooms to address neighborhood noise concerns, and moving back to the original design’s sleek black exterior rather than the bright white façade shown in May.

In a May interview with Patch, Reisner said he was willing to work with neighbors, but it would have to be a win-win situation. But with money already in Boystown for things like deposits and air rights, Reisner said he was not ready to back out of the race.

“I have a lot invested. My personality is ‘failure is not an option’ in everything I do,” he said in May. “I’m negotiable, but failure is not an option. So as long as I’m alive and ticking as an active businessman, this is my goal, my business plan and my passion. It’s right for community, it’s right for my career, its right for my partners.”

The new designs will be detailed in a presentation at an upcoming BHN meeting. The one scheduled for Monday night at 7 p.m. was cancelled in lieu of the Chicago Blackhawks game.