Ambassador Hotel (Jacksonville) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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310 West Church Street Apartments
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Ambassador Hotel, 2011
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | 420 N. Julia St, Jacksonville, Florida, USA |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1923 |
| Architect | Hentz, Reid and Adler |
| Architectural style | Georgian Revival with Beaux-Arts elements |
| NRHP reference No. | 83001421 |
| Added to NRHP | April 7, 1983 |
The 310 West Church Street Apartments, also known as the Ambassador Hotel, is a historic building. It is located at 420 North Julia Street in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. This important building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on April 7, 1983.
History of the Ambassador Hotel
This building is six stories tall and made of brick. It was designed in the Georgian Revival style. It also has some fancy Beaux-Arts details. The building first opened in 1924 as the upscale 310 West Church Street Apartments.
The famous architects Hentz, Reid and Adler designed the building. They made it in an "H" shape. This clever design allowed every apartment to have windows. The main entrance is grand. It features large stone blocks with a decorative scroll design.
After about twenty years, the apartments became a hotel. Its name changed several times over the years. In 1944, it was the Three-Ten Hotel. Then it became the Hotel Southland in 1947. In 1949, it was called the Griner Hotel. Finally, in 1955, it became the Ambassador Hotel. In 1970, a businessman named Sam Easton bought the building.
Over time, the hotel started to look run down. This happened as downtown Jacksonville became less popular. Even though the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, it didn't get much better. It was used for low-cost rooms rented by the week. The hotel eventually closed its doors in 1998.
Plans for Renovation
In 2005, a Jacksonville businessman named Lamonte Carter wanted to buy and fix up the building. He saw the building by chance and decided to contact Sam Easton. Easton had stopped his own plans to fix up the area. This was because construction on the nearby Duval County Courthouse had stalled.
Carter's plan for the 310 West Church Street building was big. It would cost about $8 million. This money would come from private investors, government help, and special loans. He planned to turn the ground floor into shops or businesses. The top five floors would become 50 new apartments. Carter hoped this project would lead to more teamwork with Easton to improve the whole block.
Later, in 2018, a company called Axis Hotels LLC bought the historic property. They announced exciting plans. They want to turn the building into a fancy 4- or 5-star hotel. It would have 100 rooms and even a bar on the roof! Axis Hotels also bought the old Marine National Bank building next door. They plan to take down that building. In its place, they want to build a new apartment building with 200 units and more shops.
