The Blackstone is considered a prime example of a turn-of-the-century luxury hotel and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Neo-Classical, Beaux-Arts style structure was designed by prominent local architects Marshall and Fox. It is named after Timothy Blackstone, president of the Chicago and Alton Railroad, whose mansion once stood on the hotel’s site. For decades, The Blackstone enjoyed a reputation as the "Hotel of Presidents." It housed the politically powerful and famous and served as a gathering place for generations of Chicago’s leaders, industrialists and the general public. After years of neglect, the hotel reopened in 2008 following a $112 million restoration.