Ruins of Jacksonville: The Ambassador Hotel

[Atari007]

Nicely done Paradox, I wish you woulda told me about this so I could have gone with you

For real! 

Good job Paradox!!

[jaxmortgageguy]

Great Pics!! I dont think id want to spend the night there...boo!

[civil42806]

wow, last time I was in there was 95, can't imagine anyone investing the money to renovate that place. Hope they do, but this looks like a bulldoze job

[Johnny]

Wow, I must be seeing different pictures than some of you. bulldoze & teardown??? Seriously? It doesn't look to be that significant, mainly cosmetic. I was thinking a year sounded realistic with a crew of workers and was excited that progress is coming, then seen the comments... WTF?

[ac]

I really hope they get this done.  Never been in it, but I've always liked this building for some reason.

Not a day goes by that I don't wish I had several million burning a hole in my pocket, so I could breathe new life into one of the buildings downtown.

[fsu813]

even just stripping them down to bare bones, they could sell as artists lofts. some people just need imagination

[grrly]

That place is a teardown.

or a diamond in the rough.

The pics are too good Paradox, bravo!
It's been awhile since I had the willies.

[Shwaz]

Awesome pics! My friend & I used to sneak into some of the old abandoned buildings downtown a few years ago. I remember the Carling looking very similar when we toured it before renovation. There were old patient records still in filing cabinets and some rooms looked untouched altogether. After seeing the before & after on the Carling I'm confident the Ambassador can be restored too. Here's to hoping that it will.

[mtraininjax]

FCSJ or the old FCCJ would do well to take it, with some funds and turn this into campus housing with classrooms on the first floor. This is by far more sound than the Laura Trio was.

[danno]

Awesome pics! My friend & I used to sneak into some of the old abandoned buildings downtown a few years ago. I remember the Carling looking very similar when we toured it before renovation. There were old patient records still in filing cabinets and some rooms looked untouched altogether. After seeing the before & after on the Carling I'm confident the Ambassador can be restored too. Here's to hoping that it will.

We used to do a lot of urban exploration back when I was in the UK. This site has some great pictures and stories:

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/

[Ocklawaha]

Okay y'all, so Lakelander, Stephendare, and I, didn't sneak in here and do this photo shoot, so I have to know, did any of the elevators have the classic folding gates on them? Are the cars still in the shafts? BTW, does ANYBODY know of a building left downtown with the classic elevators, polished brass folding gates, etc?

We used to have so many, they would sometimes have a seat for the operators... Yeah, PAID motormen and women, that would take you to your floor, help with a bag, the child, hold the car if you called... good old days.

OCKLAWAHA

[billy]

Status of current renovation plans?

[heights unknown]

I hope it is a diamond in the rough and hope it can be renovated, however, judging from those pics more work needs to be done than meets the eye, and, the deterioration inside much more than I thought; looks like this will be much more than an 8 or 12 million dollar renovation/rehab/reconstruction job. The Owner or whomever will have their work cut out for them.

Disagree with this hotel being a candidate for a bulldozer.  That is and should be out of the question and certainly not an option.  Being that the Courthouse project is humming right along, let's see if we can salvage and revive this old queen.

I was last there in 1993 I believe.  I used to frequent the bar in the basement from time to time...had friends who weren't doing so well who frequented that bar and even lived in the rooms, but I never saw the inside of the hotel.  Lot of memories down in the bar section (and I did see the bar in a couple of photos).

Great, classic photos Paradox...well done!  Question though...how the hell did you get in?  Did you break in?

Heights Unknown

[Lunican]

MSNBC has a story up today, "World’s eeriest abandoned places".

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33421753/ns/travel-destinations/

[stjr]

Okay y'all, so Lakelander, Stephendare, and I, didn't sneak in here and do this photo shoot, so I have to know, did any of the elevators have the classic folding gates on them? Are the cars still in the shafts? BTW, does ANYBODY know of a building left downtown with the classic elevators, polished brass folding gates, etc?

We used to have so many, they would sometimes have a seat for the operators... Yeah, PAID motormen and women, that would take you to your floor, help with a bag, the child, hold the car if you called... good old days.

I remember elevators like this in the old Furchgott's and/or Levy/Wolf department store buildings.  I think both buildings are still there but don't know if the elevators are.  Also, not quite the same, but I thought at one time the Greenleaf/Jacobs building still had older style elevators.  I sure remember the nice ladies who ran these elevators in the days of white gloves and hats!

Unfortunately, with legal liability, finding old style parts and service, increasing rules and standards imposed by regulators, etc., I wonder how many owners can afford to keep these classics running while staying in code.  Add the local lack of appreciation for such things, and who knows?  You might check with the elevator service companies or the elevator inspectors.