Historic Black hotel may be razed
Colson Hotel is part of ‘Save the Six’ initiative
Preservationists and leaders in Sarasota are raising concerns at an upcoming city commission meeting in hopes of preserving the city’s historic Colson Hotel.
The two-story U-shaped Mediterranean Revival Style Colson Hotel at 1425 Eighth Street is a significant part of the city of Sarasota’s history.
It was the first hotel constructed and opened in the mid-20th century amid the Jim Crow laws that allowed Black travelers and workers to reserve rooms and lodge overnight in Sarasota. The Colson Hotel made its grand debut in the first African American neighborhood in the city, Overtown (now known as the Rosemary District), in December 1926.
Once a 26-room hotel, the building has suffered from neglect over the years and was purchased last March by Tampa-based JDMAX Development. The new owners’ proposal for demolition to the City of Sarasota has prompted a swell of dissent ahead of Tuesday’s Historic Preservation Board Hearing.
The Colson Hotel is part of the ongoing “Save the Six” initiative developed in December by the Sarasota Alliance for Historic Preservation to preserve it and five other historically significant buildings from demolition.
The Alliance and a small group of community leaders and historians have been working to ensure that the property can survive the wave of development and gentrification that has been engulfing the city during the past few years.
Newtown native and community leader Walter Gilbert is hopeful leaders at the City of Sarasota will hear what the Alliance will present at Tuesday’s meeting and make an informed decision about the historic property.
“The property went up for sale after the original owner died. The City had it and before anyone in the community
could get to it the new owners snatched it up,” Gilbert said.
Ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, historical architect Dave Baber told the Herald-Tribune that the preservation of the property is needed not only for the history of the Colson Hotel but its architectural value.
“The architecture and its history are significant. It shows that that the quality of the construction in that era can stand the test of time,” Baber said.
“When Mr. (Ed) Burns constructed that hotel, he didn’t scrimp on this building, it’s a significant building of architecture and history. Not every building has to be the Ca d’Zan to be significant.”
Baber, community leaders and the current property owners walked the property last summer following the purchase. The 98-year-old building has visible cosmetic damage on the exterior and interior, however, Baber’s assessment found no structural damage at the time.
“I didn’t see any cracks in exterior walls, some deterioration but the structure didn’t feel overall spongy. There’s no evidence of structural deterioration. It’s not in good shape, it is in really bad shape and it needs a lot of work. But from my viewpoint, it’s absolutely salvageable.”
Following the property tour, Baber said he presented the owners with a few tax credit options and preservation programs that the Colson Hotel is eligible for, however, none of those options have made progress with the owners.
“There are a lot of benefits to keeping that building, this was all discussed with them (owners), so, it’s really frustrating,” Baber said. “I’ve gotten a sense that the community is really upset about this. So much has been lost in the historical Overtown community. This is an important building a focal point, it contributed so much to that vibrant community.”
Tom McArdle serves as the Historical Alliance’s secretary and treasurer. A former commercial property appraiser for more than 30 years, he said the Colson Hotel and surrounding property are valued at around $2.2 million. He echoed Baber and Gilbert saying the owners have made no effort to explore other options beyond demolition and are only focused on the profit from the demo and sale.
The Herald-Tribune could not reach the building owner for comment.
“We feel on many, many levels this hotel is just too important as Sarasota as a whole and African Americans to be demolished. There are so many things wrong with them wanting to demolish this and not taking the time to explore these other viable options. They just seem very dismissive of them all. “
The Historic Preservation Board has recommended that city officials deny the owner’s demolition application for the Colson Hotel. McArdle and a handful of community members will present their case to the commission to fully deny the demo at Tuesday’s meeting.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation recently listed The Colson Hotel as one of its Eleven to Save at the National Level for 2024.