Carling Hotel
Encyclopedia
The Carling, formerly known as the Carling Hotel and Hotel Roosevelt, is a historic building in Jacksonville
, Florida
, United States
, built in 1925. It is located at 31 West Adams Street. As its former names indicates it was originally a hotel
, and was used for that purpose until 1964; it currently serves as a residential building.
architects Thompson, Holmes & Converse in 1925 and held in Italian Renaissance style. A newspaper story depicted it as "300 rooms with bath, running ice water, fans and the latest equipment in the rooms. The three lower stories are faced with Indiana limestone above which is a shaft of red brick. The upper stories are trimmed with terra-cotta, and surmounted by a balustrade with limestone coping. The building is of completely fireproof construction." When it opened on September 1, 1926, it was one of Jacksonville's finest hotels.
Placement of the building was unusual at the time because it was situated in the middle of a block, rather than on a corner. It was constructed and managed by Atlanta's Dinkler Hotel Company, which owned and operated nearly two dozen upscale hotels in the southeastern United States. The facility was named after Carling L. Dinkler, who claimed to be the youngest hotel executive in the U.S.
It was the site of the catastrophic Hotel Roosevelt fire
in late December, 1963, which claimed 22 lives and caused in excess of $350,000 in damage, forcing the hotel to close in 1964.
After being vacant for nearly 20 years, the structure was turned into apartments for retirees called Jacksonville Regency House, but that operation ended in 1989.
On February 28, 1991, the site was added to the U.S.
National Register of Historic Places
, but the building remained shuttered for almost 14 years. Little or no work was performed on the building's major components for almost 40 years; the structure's infrastructure was outdated with leaks and rot throughout.
The company restored many architectural features which included Palladian
windows, terrazzo
floors, and the dual grand marble staircases leading from the lobby to what was the ballroom on the second level. Elevators, HVAC, electrical, plumbing and other infrastructure was modernized and a 237-space parking garage was constructed adjacent to the Carling. The ballroom was converted into a large community club room, a fitness center and a media room. Modern amenities were added while respecting the historic integrity of the structure. The building was renamed The Carling, and its 100 apartments were opened in July, 2005 after $29 million and 20 months of construction. Vestor began leasing space in the Carling's 15000 sq ft (1,393.5 m²) commercial arcade in October, 2007. Since then, a gallery known as "The Art Center Cooperative, Inc." and a barber shop opened in the complex.
In late December 2009, Vestcor requested a modification to their loan terms, citing three years of operating losses on the Carling and their other renovated building, 11 East Forsyth. The company asked for three years of interest-only payments plus low interest loans to potential tenants for the mostly empty commercial space in their buildings. Three months later, the city approved the plan for principle deferral but took no action on tenant loans.
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, built in 1925. It is located at 31 West Adams Street. As its former names indicates it was originally a 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...
, and was used for that purpose until 1964; it currently serves as a residential building.
Construction
The 13-story building originally contained 335 rooms and was designed by noted New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
architects Thompson, Holmes & Converse in 1925 and held in Italian Renaissance style. A newspaper story depicted it as "300 rooms with bath, running ice water, fans and the latest equipment in the rooms. The three lower stories are faced with Indiana limestone above which is a shaft of red brick. The upper stories are trimmed with terra-cotta, and surmounted by a balustrade with limestone coping. The building is of completely fireproof construction." When it opened on September 1, 1926, it was one of Jacksonville's finest hotels.
Placement of the building was unusual at the time because it was situated in the middle of a block, rather than on a corner. It was constructed and managed by Atlanta's Dinkler Hotel Company, which owned and operated nearly two dozen upscale hotels in the southeastern United States. The facility was named after Carling L. Dinkler, who claimed to be the youngest hotel executive in the U.S.
History
The facility changed its name to the Hotel Roosevelt in 1936 and it was a downtown landmark for over a quarter century. A two-story addition was constructed in 1937 at the rear of the building which permits access from Monroe Street.It was the site of the catastrophic Hotel Roosevelt fire
Hotel Roosevelt fire
The Hotel Roosevelt fire, on December 29, 1963, was the worst fire that Jacksonville, Florida, had seen since the Great Fire of 1901, and it contributed to the worst one-day death toll in the city's history: twenty-two persons died, mostly from carbon-monoxide poisoning.At the time, the Hotel...
in late December, 1963, which claimed 22 lives and caused in excess of $350,000 in damage, forcing the hotel to close in 1964.
After being vacant for nearly 20 years, the structure was turned into apartments for retirees called Jacksonville Regency House, but that operation ended in 1989.
On February 28, 1991, the site was added to the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
, but the building remained shuttered for almost 14 years. Little or no work was performed on the building's major components for almost 40 years; the structure's infrastructure was outdated with leaks and rot throughout.
Current use
Jacksonville developer Vestcor began a historic preservation of the Carling in 2003 after obtaining a $16.5 million, 1.4% interest, 20-year loan and $5 million in grants, both from the city of Jacksonville.The company restored many architectural features which included Palladian
Palladian architecture
Palladian architecture is a European style of architecture derived from the designs of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio . The term "Palladian" normally refers to buildings in a style inspired by Palladio's own work; that which is recognised as Palladian architecture today is an evolution of...
windows, terrazzo
Terrazzo
Terrazzo is a composite material poured in place or precast, which is used for floor and wall treatments. It consists of marble, quartz, granite, glass or other suitable chips, sprinkled or unsprinkled, and poured with a binder that is cementitious, chemical or a combination of both...
floors, and the dual grand marble staircases leading from the lobby to what was the ballroom on the second level. Elevators, HVAC, electrical, plumbing and other infrastructure was modernized and a 237-space parking garage was constructed adjacent to the Carling. The ballroom was converted into a large community club room, a fitness center and a media room. Modern amenities were added while respecting the historic integrity of the structure. The building was renamed The Carling, and its 100 apartments were opened in July, 2005 after $29 million and 20 months of construction. Vestor began leasing space in the Carling's 15000 sq ft (1,393.5 m²) commercial arcade in October, 2007. Since then, a gallery known as "The Art Center Cooperative, Inc." and a barber shop opened in the complex.
In late December 2009, Vestcor requested a modification to their loan terms, citing three years of operating losses on the Carling and their other renovated building, 11 East Forsyth. The company asked for three years of interest-only payments plus low interest loans to potential tenants for the mostly empty commercial space in their buildings. Three months later, the city approved the plan for principle deferral but took no action on tenant loans.
External links
- Duval County listings at National Register of Historic Places
- Duval County listings at Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs
- Official Website, incl. video
- Current photos
- The Art Center Cooperative, Inc.
- Excerpt from Historic Walking Tour, pdf document, 2 pages
- Downtown Jacksonville Historic Preservation Incentives, pdf document, 12 pages
- Photo of Barber Shop; source: flickr.com
- Google Maps incl. street view