Historic downtown hotel set to glitter once more
There are few properties in Arkansas that can match the history and elegance of the Hotel Frederica in Little Rock, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Over its lifetime, the property has seen both the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, having been nationally celebrated for its elegance and having sat empty and derelict.
Parth Patel, president of development for VIPA Hospitality Management, experienced the hotel during one of its many revivals and came away impressed by the property — so much so, in fact, that when the hotel came up for sale, he immediately considered adding it to the company’s portfolio.
“At the time, we didn’t really pursue it because we were building a Home2 Inn and Suites by Hilton in Hot Springs,” he said. “Then last year, I got an email saying that this particular property was going to come to auction again in September with an online agency that specialized in commercial real estate. Long story short, we decided to register and try for it.”
VIPA had the winning bid but bought the company a property much different than what Patel had experienced. The building had been seized for nonpayment of taxes and, while closed, had been extensively vandalized on the inside. Still, Patel saw the hotel’s potential, especially given the neighborhood.
“One big reason we were interested in this was because of the location,” he said. “It sits right in the heart of downtown, in the financial sector. You’re right across from the federal courthouse, the federal building, all of the bank regional offices there, and you’re only about a half-mile from the River Market. With this location, we’re going to cater a little more toward business guests versus leisure guests.”
Patel said VIPA plans to rebrand the property under a new name and affiliate the hotel with one of the national hotel nameplates that VIPA features in its other properties. In so doing, it will link the property to the kinds of perks and amenities that travelers demand, especially the corporate guest.
“The hotels that we have here in Hot Springs and in a joint venture back in the Chicago area are owned and operated with franchise agreements through these national companies,” he said. “Each location is owned, operated and managed by us with the franchise agreements with these respective brands. And that’s what we’re looking at doing with branding this property. We’re not looking at doing a standalone or boutique hotel.
“There are reasons why we’re looking to do it this way, and a lot of it has to do with national brands’ large loyalty programs, such as Hilton Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, et cetera. A lot of guests, when they travel, are really loyal to these brands.”
The property is one of only two hotels in Little Rock more than a century old, having opened as the Hotel Freiderica in 1914. Over
the years, the hotel was expanded twice and the name changed three times, known as the Hotel Sam Peck, The Legacy and the alternative spelling Hotel Frederica. At the time VIPA purchased it, the hotel boasted 82 rooms, a lobby bar, a restaurant and conference spaces.
The top-to-bottom renovation plans, which Patel said would kick off sometime this spring and take the better part of a year to complete, call for expanding the number of rooms to 100, as well as refurbishing the conference and bar amenities. He also said he hopes to attract a tenant restaurant in the future.
During its lifetime, the hotel was known as one of the most luxurious lodging experiences to be had anywhere. Millionaire businessman Winthrop Rockefeller lived in the hotel penthouse while building his ranch home atop Petit Jean Mountain and frequently stayed at the hotel during his term as governor. During the Little Rock Central High School desegregation crisis, the hotel was the unofficial headquarters for many visiting journalists who were reporting the news. Harry Reasoner, longtime TV newsman, once said the property was his all-time favorite in a segment for “60 Minutes” on the great hotels of the world.
And while recent years have not been as kind to the structure, Patel said he’s committed to restoring the hotel’s reputation as a firstclass property.
“I want people to know one thing: When we’re talking about branding this, it’s not going to be something that would downgrade the building or the experience,” he said. “We’re looking to align this property with a great national brand that will return this property to something the community will be proud of and that will delight our guests.”