Albert Pike Residence Hotel
Encyclopedia
The Albert Pike Residence Hotel is a historic building in Little Rock, Arkansas
.
The hotel
was built in 1929 by the Farrell Hotel Company at an approximate cost of $1,000,000. It was designed by architect Eugene John Stern in the Italian-Spanish Revival style. The two main wings are eight stories each, and extend out towards Scott Street. These two wings are connected across the back by a ten story cross section. Decorated stone pediments extend above the roof line in the center of each wing. The cloister type porch graces the main entries which are flanked by triple arched leaded-glass windows. Above the entries are terra cotta
medallions featuring heraldic shields with the initials "AP". The elaborate decor includes detailed stenciling, leaded and stained glass windows, extensive decorative tile, iron work, and ornate light fixtures. The coffered ceiling in the two story main lobby is overlooked by an open mezzanine floor that contains fine antique furnishings, including a custom made Hazelton Bros. grand piano, designed to match the building's interior structural features.
The hotel is named after one of Arkansas' leading historical figures, Albert Pike
, a teacher, attorney, newspaperman, Confederate
Brigadier General, and later a judge of the Arkansas Supreme Court
. The building was a hotel from its construction in 1928 (opening in 1929) until December 1971, when the Second Baptist Church assumed ownership and began its Albert Pike Residence Hotel ministry. The purpose was to provide a family retirement community that was happy and uplifting.
In 1976 the hotel secured a Section 231 loan for $2,400,000 from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This made possible the renovation of the hotel infrastructure bringing it up to current fire and safety standards.
The Albert Pike Hotel was entered into the National Register of Historic Places
by the United States Department of the Interior in 1978. A grant from the Historical Preservation Society helped to restore the public and community areas to their original condition.
In late 1985, the hotel was purchased by a privately held corporation in Jonesboro, Arkansas
. Since that time continuous upgrades, such as the addition of kitchen facilities, were made in efficiency, one, and two bedroom apartments. The apartments were created where two hotel rooms had connecting doors. Non connecting rooms are studio apartments with microwave
-refrigerator
combo units.
The North Lounge was restored in 1994 and was made a smoke free environment. It provides a common activities room, television lounge, post office boxes, and library. Regular events are held to inform residents of health and community services available in the area, as well as weekly bingo, monthly birthday parties, and special occasion and holiday parties.
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
.
The hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
was built in 1929 by the Farrell Hotel Company at an approximate cost of $1,000,000. It was designed by architect Eugene John Stern in the Italian-Spanish Revival style. The two main wings are eight stories each, and extend out towards Scott Street. These two wings are connected across the back by a ten story cross section. Decorated stone pediments extend above the roof line in the center of each wing. The cloister type porch graces the main entries which are flanked by triple arched leaded-glass windows. Above the entries are terra cotta
Terra cotta
Terracotta, Terra cotta or Terra-cotta is a clay-based unglazed ceramic, although the term can also be applied to glazed ceramics where the fired body is porous and red in color...
medallions featuring heraldic shields with the initials "AP". The elaborate decor includes detailed stenciling, leaded and stained glass windows, extensive decorative tile, iron work, and ornate light fixtures. The coffered ceiling in the two story main lobby is overlooked by an open mezzanine floor that contains fine antique furnishings, including a custom made Hazelton Bros. grand piano, designed to match the building's interior structural features.
The hotel is named after one of Arkansas' leading historical figures, Albert Pike
Albert Pike
Albert Pike was an attorney, Confederate officer, writer, and Freemason. Pike is the only Confederate military officer or figure to be honored with an outdoor statue in Washington, D.C...
, a teacher, attorney, newspaperman, Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
Brigadier General, and later a judge of the Arkansas Supreme Court
Arkansas Supreme Court
The Arkansas Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Arkansas. Since 1925, it has consisted of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices, and at times Special Justices are called upon in the absence of a regular justice...
. The building was a hotel from its construction in 1928 (opening in 1929) until December 1971, when the Second Baptist Church assumed ownership and began its Albert Pike Residence Hotel ministry. The purpose was to provide a family retirement community that was happy and uplifting.
In 1976 the hotel secured a Section 231 loan for $2,400,000 from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This made possible the renovation of the hotel infrastructure bringing it up to current fire and safety standards.
The Albert Pike Hotel was entered into the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
by the United States Department of the Interior in 1978. A grant from the Historical Preservation Society helped to restore the public and community areas to their original condition.
In late 1985, the hotel was purchased by a privately held corporation in Jonesboro, Arkansas
Jonesboro, Arkansas
Jonesboro is a city in and one of the two county seats of Craighead County, Arkansas, United States. According to the 2010 US Census, the population of the city was 67,263. A college town, Jonesboro is the largest city in northeastern Arkansas and the fifth most populous city in the state...
. Since that time continuous upgrades, such as the addition of kitchen facilities, were made in efficiency, one, and two bedroom apartments. The apartments were created where two hotel rooms had connecting doors. Non connecting rooms are studio apartments with microwave
Microwave
Microwaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
-refrigerator
Refrigerator
A refrigerator is a common household appliance that consists of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump that transfers heat from the inside of the fridge to its external environment so that the inside of the fridge is cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature of the room...
combo units.
The North Lounge was restored in 1994 and was made a smoke free environment. It provides a common activities room, television lounge, post office boxes, and library. Regular events are held to inform residents of health and community services available in the area, as well as weekly bingo, monthly birthday parties, and special occasion and holiday parties.