La Banque Hotel Brings Bit of France to Downtown Homewood

It might have taken three years to transform a former downtown bank rich in history into an upscale boutique hotel dripping in style, but owner Claude Gendreau believes guests will find it has been worth the wait.

“We hope this is not the end of the revival of the downtown, but just the beginning,” Gendreau said Tuesday, as members of the media toured the hotel and sampled the menu.

“We wanted to bring a bit of the city, to Homewood.”

On Saturday, La Banque Hotel owners and Homewood officials will cut the ribbon on the 18-room boutique hotel at 2034 Ridge Road. The hotel’s 90-seat La Voute (“the Vault” in French) Bistro & Bar was unveiled at a soft opening last week. Both will open to the public on Monday, June 15.

Teasers of the hotel interior have given residents glimpses of brilliant colors, exquisite finishes, and plush guest rooms. High-end touches include double-sink vanities, free-standing bathtubs, 10-foot ceilings, and ceramic shower stalls with glass doors. The local landmark is the former Great Lakes Bank building, the center of commerce in the Chicago suburb from 1925 until it closed in 2013. The building’s history is on display in a reception desk designed around safety deposit boxes, and vault doors leading into dining areas.

It’s everything Gendreau could have imagined when he purchased the property at Ridge Road and Martin Avenue in 2012. He harnessed his vision with an original $4.1 million budget and a longing to preserve the location’s heritage. That budget would grow to $5.1 million, as would his love of the project and his hope to revive Homewood’s downtown.

“La Banque Hotel and La Voute Bistro and Bar are the spark of the rebirth of Homewood as the suburb continues to grow,” said Gendreau. “I have a passion for restoring historical sites with a modern eco-friendly twist and found this location to be perfect with the growth of Homewood and need for such a beautiful significant landmark.

“When you don’t have energy downtown, it hurts all the other businesses.”

How did La Voute Bistro and Bar go over with guests in a sneak peek? Read what Chicago foodies had to say.

The veterinary orthopedic surgeon, who also owns Ravisloe Country Club, seemed undaunted by the additional costs, instead proud of his efforts to respect the original structure from 1925 while bringing something new to Homewood. The structure itself posed its own set of challenges, limiting them to a smaller number of rooms. Not a problem for Gendreau, who said if the demand is there, he would build an additional hotel elsewhere in town.

“Tearing down the old building and reconstructing would have been easier, more economically sound,” he said.

“But we tried to preserve the the heritage of the building throughout. I think we will be rewarded for that. ... We wanted to do something for Homewood, that is not present anywhere else in the suburbs.”

Investment with little return is not new to Gendreau, who purchased Ravisloe from members in 2009 and has taken a $400,000 loss each year since. With last year’s hit reduced to $184,000, he hopes they’re closing in on breaking even.

The hotel and country club ideally will thrive together, Gendreau said, with guests from the 30 weddings hosted at the club each year booking rooms at La Banque, rather than in Tinley Park or other areas.

La Banque’s room rates will vary between $220 and $275 nightly. Guests will have access to a basement health club complete with cardio machines, weight room and men and women’s locker rooms. Guest rooms feature 42-inch flat-screen TVs, remote-controlled drapes, and bathrooms some might say would best those in their homes. Intricate artwork and historical images of Homewood give the hotel a feeling of “home” with extra touches. During the summer months, outdoor dining at La Voute will be available along the planned greenspace on Martin Avenue in the business district. Fare will be French-influenced with finer items such as slow-cooked rabbit legs and scallops, but will also include steak, hamburgers and other American favorites.

The hotel opens to the public Monday, June 15. Just 10 days after the phones were turned on, reception already has 100 reservations in the books. With a tax incentive offered by the Village, the hotel stands as an example of partnership between public and private investors. It also creates a sense of ownership among the residents, Gendreau said.

“I think residents feel vested in this,” he said. “They feel there is a little part of them invested in this building.”

“We want to stay ’above the fray,’” he said. “We think we can have a different product here that will bring people from further out. We don’t know what’s going to happen here.

“But we’ve got the staying power to make it happen.”