THE COMPANY:
Blueprint Healthcare Real Estate Advisors was founded in 2013 with a mission to elevate healthcare real estate advisory through collaboration and data. Blueprint is now the most active advisory firm in seniors housing and skilled nursing, as well as a market leader within other healthcare real estate subsegments.
With a proven track record of $14 billion in transaction volume, the Blueprint model rests on the unique combination of broad market coverage and unrivaled analytics. Blueprint has comprehensive industry expertise in skilled nursing, seniors housing, medical properties, and behavioral healthcare.
THE RETREAT:
The goal for Blueprint’s summer summit was to gather the entire company for three days of meetings balanced by team building and some straight up fun. They turned to WCF Events and The Neighborhood Hotel Little Italy to make their action packed few days an epic success.
Blueprint opted to mix-in a charitable giving component as part of an Olympic Team Challenge followed by a good old fashioned company barbecue lunch, an all company dinner plus a plethora of lectures, meetings and fireside chats.
THE OLYMPIC TEAM CHALLENGE: WCF’s classic and most popular team building activity!
Location: University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Outdoor Picnic Grounds just 5 Minutes from The Neighborhood Hotel Little Italy.
**WCF Events partners with the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) to organize corporate picnics on its scenic campus and recently renovated outdoor athletic facilities. WCF Events secures the necessary venue permits and organizes all the event details from catering and tents to event activities and entertainment.
Challenge Details:
This fully customizable, rotational activity is a great way to create a focused experience that hits all business objectives and key takeaways. Most importantly, each team has fun building better business skills and unlocking their potential as a team! The challenge is a great way to tie into meetings and provide a tangible example of those overall objectives of the retreat.
Blueprint’s goal for the team challenge was to ignite a positive, competitive spirit between coworkers while giving back to the community by working together as a high functioning team.
The Blueprint team arrived onsite and jumped right into their 4 teams: Red, Green, Purple and Blue. The WCF emcee went over the rules of the rotational Olympic Challenge and started the competitions.
Teams competed in four stations: Volleyball, Dodgeball, Synchronization (team building activity focused on strategic planning and teamwork) and Bike Building for a Cause (two sports and one team building activity plus a give back station). After rotating through all four stations, the points were tallied and the top two teams competed in a final culminating activity (pipeline pass) to crown the winner!
At the Bike Building station, teams assembled and donated twelve kids bikes and helmets to the Boys and Girls Club of Chicago!
INTERACTIVE BARBECUE LUNCH [powered by WCF Events]:
The very hungry team enjoyed a classic picnic which included burgers, hotdogs, brats, veggie burgers and chicken sandwiches all cooked fresh with sides like watermelon, corn on the cob, pasta salad and chips. Blueprint even celebrated a team member’s birthday with a massive cookie cake! Players then relaxed with a beer/hard seltzer while playing lawn games like baggo (cornhole), spike ball and kanjam.
ALL COMPANY DINNER:
A delicious meal at Greek Islands Restaurant – just 7 minutes from the hotel! Since 1971, the same owners continue with the founding principles of great food, great service and great value. They select the highest quality extra virgin olive oil, superior wines, the best cheeses, herbs, and seafood directly from Greece. The space is ideal for large groups as they offer two beautiful party rooms which comfortably seat 35-120 people for sit-down service and up to 200 people with a buffet option.
ACCOMODATIONS:
The Neighborhood Little Italy was selected as the ideal home base for an action packed three days of work and play. “The Neighborhood Hotel Little Italy was wonderful for a work trip. Our team was pleasantly surprised by how spacious the rooms were and I enjoyed having a table to work at plus the extra living room and kitchen space. Super clean, cozy, and walkable. Hope to stay again soon,” says Eileen Gehring, Head of Marketing & Communications at Blueprint. Thirty-five one to two bedroom suites have been designed with every traveler in mind. Each suite is equipped with a full kitchen and special details like local coffee grounds, Moccamaster brewers and Gibson’s seasoning salt. The WIFI is fast and secure while the living rooms and kitchens are spacious enough to set up a work station without infringing on the solitude of the sleep chambers. In-unit washer/dryers eliminate the need to overpack while luxury towels and linens add to the comfort. Cozy throw blankets made by The Weaving Mill [a local company that also supports Envision Unlimited — a nonprofit that helps adults with developmental disabilities] grace every bed in Little Italy. “Our hotels are strategically situated in Chicago neighborhoods that are practical in terms of easy access to the main business districts without sacrificing character. We want our guests who are traveling for work/pleasure to enjoy a space that’s quiet and comfortable after a long day,” says Jonathan Gordon, Founder of The Neighborhood Hotel.
The Neighborhood Hotel Little Italy Amenities:
-Full kitchens in every suite
-Washer/Dryer
-Sferra linens
-Malin + Goetz bath products
-Metric coffee grounds & Moccamaster brewers
-Gibsons seasoning salt in every pantry
-Heinz Ketchup [never Hunts]
-A field guide to the neighborhood with tips from long time locals on each coffee table
-Bocce balls to use on the courts next door.
BOOK YOUR NEXT CORPORATE RETREAT!
About The Neighborhood Hotel
The Neighborhood Hotel was founded in 2020 by travel enthusiasts who enjoy spaces that inspire, comfort and fuel. Each suite is well equipped for short and longterm stays (i.e. kitchens, laundry, etc.). The Neighborhood Hotel transforms old buildings with compelling history into well outfitted apartment style hotels that honor the old while representing the now. The vibe is fresh and fun with rooms that are stocked to support everyone from the homebody to the adventurer. The hotels provide a basecamp for the explorer and a sanctuary for the traveler who needs to recharge, reset or just chill. The suites are simple and clean, punctuated with accents that bring the right amount of pop. The Neighborhood Hotel has locations in Chicago: Lincoln Park, Little Italy, West Loop (2026 opening) and Southwest Michigan: New Buffalo and Grand Beach.
Read about TNBHD in: Architectural Digest, Midwest Living and CN Traveler!
Connect with @the.neighborhood.hotel on Instagram and LinkedIn!
