by Tammy Taylor
Staff Writer
The Carlington, originally built in 1926, is at the end of internal demolition. Restoration of the 13-story building on West Adams Street is slated to be complete by early 2005, said Patrick Power, Vestcor Companies project superintendent.
“The project is pretty much on track,” said Power. “We’ve just recently let contractors on site.”
Once The Carlington is fully restored, the old hotel that once boasted in a 1926 newspaper article of having “300 rooms with bath, running ice water, fans and the latest equipment in the rooms,” will offer the addition of 100 luxury loft apartments to downtown. The refurbishing will stay true to the early 1900s architecture.
Inside the lobby, the original ironwork which outlines the staircase and second-floor mezzanine will remain. Also, the original windows and terrazzo flooring, a flooring material of marble or stone chips set in mortar and polished when dry, are being fully refurbished.
Remodeling of the interior of The Carlington will begin at the top of the building and move towards the bottom floor.
The old elevator has been taken out, the shaft reinforced and a new elevator will be installed. The back staircase of the hotel, originally about 40 inches wide, is in the process of being replaced to adhere to building codes. Also, holes in the concrete flooring of the building are being repaired and reinforced with steel beams.
Once completed, The Carlington will contribute 15,000 square feet of retail space in addition to the loft apartments. Unique to the two-story retail area will be the two ballrooms added to the east side of The Carling Hotel in 1937.
Plans to include a two-story restaurant are in place.
According to Vestcor chair John Rood, “It’s very historic and nicely decorated. We’re envisioning a first floor restaurant with a second floor club, or a two-story restaurant looking for a unique location.
The Carlington will offer residents the use of a 250-space parking garage and a roof-top pool, an attraction of the old Carling Hotel.
The Carling Hotel, managed by Carling L. Dinkler, the youngest hotel executive in the United States, opened Sept. 1, 1926.
The hotel changed its name to the Roosevelt in 1936.
During a fire in December 1963, 22 guests were killed. The hotel was filled that night with visitors attending the Gator Bowl the next day. The next year, the hotel closed its doors. Soon after, the old hotel was transformed into the Jacksonville Regency House, a retirement community apartment complex.