by J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writer
Massive remodeling efforts inside one of downtown’s most recognizable historic icons are nearly complete. Project developers and leasing agents confirmed this week that after nearly two years, the residential high rise the Carling on Adams Street could open as early as July 1.
“We have the bulk of the hard construction behind us and now we’re focusing on finishing the public spaces in the building which include the lobby, the leasing office and the 15,000 square-foot retail space,” said Mark Farrell, the president of the developer, The Vestcor Companies. Farrell said no tenant has secured the retail space though some potential tenants have been approached.
“It’s taken some time but we’ve been, for the most part, lucky to have avoided any major obstacles in bringing it online,” he said. “By late June we should be finished with the project.”
Theresa Atkins, assistant property manager for the Carling and Vestcor’s other property, the 11E apartment building on Forsyth Street, said 11 apartments have so far been leased in the 13-story building and that as many as five calls come in every day inquiring about the remaining 89 units in what used to be the Roosevelt Hotel.
“We’re very excited about being able to let people experience the Carling firsthand,” Atkins said. “The building has such great character and a lot of detail has been devoted to incorporating a lot of its historical aspects into the final product.”
Those historical elements include the original trim, baseboards and
windows.
“We think people are really going to enjoy it,” Atkins said.
And with monthly rent ranging from $525 for a lower level studio apartment to $1,680 for a two-bedroom penthouse loft, Atkins said a broad demographic has shown interest in moving in.
“It’s honestly all kinds of people,” she said. “From young adults who have just graduated from college and work downtown to retirees who don’t want to worry about maintaining a yard anymore, everyone is at least a little curious about what we have to offer.
“And, for the price, it’s a fantastic deal.”
Each of the Carling’s 12 floor plans feature hardwood floors, a remodeled kitchen and large windows. And, as with 11E, rent also includes free access to an in-house gym — it’s three times as large as 11E’s — an assigned space in a neighboring parking garage and an open-ended invitation to monthly socials that are held in a first floor common area.
“It’s got all of the makings of a small but close-knit neighborhood,” Atkins said. “If it’s anything like what we’ve experienced with 11E, it’s that people enjoy being a part of something so original like urban living in Jacksonville.”
The old hotel opened in 1926 with a thriving business. However, a fire 40 years later ravaged the building, killing 22 people. The hotel closed the following year, making way for the Jacksonville Regency House, a retirement community.
That venture lasted only briefly before the building lay dormant until 2003 when Vestcor was selected by the City to convert it for residential use.