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Plans to renovate Carnall Hall, the university's second oldest
building, and transform it into a full-scale elegant hotel
and restaurant are in the works, state legislative representative
Jan Judy said.
Carnall
Hall, the former UA women's dormitory, is planned
to become a full-scale hotel and restaurant and serve
as a lab for hospitality students. University officials
are expected to reach final decisions regarding design
by late April.
(Photo:
Adam
Wallworth)
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Judy said tentative plans for the building include up to 60
hotel rooms, an upscale restaurant with a full bar and a patio
overlooking the Old Main lawn.
"The university has already supported this," Judy said. "We
went from having no support from the university to figuring
out how we were going to do it - not if, but how."
Plans for the hall would also allow for hotel and restaurant
students to use the building as a lab for work-study, according
to university officials. By making the hall a restaurant,
Judy said, the university will be able to retain more of those
students.
"We can make this a premiere school of hospitality so we can
retain some of our hotel and restaurant students," Judy said.
Carnall Hall, a former women's dormitory, has undergone several
attempts to revamp the building over the years. All projects
ran into funding problems with the university, problems that
are not expected to be a problem since the funding for this
project will come from private companies.
Carnall Inn Development Company LLC and Vanadis Group have
submitted competitive design proposals to University of Arkansas
officials to approve.
Carnall Inn Development is comprised of local developers Richard
Alexander and Rob Merry-Ship and James at the Mill co-owners
James Lambeth and Chef Miles James. The foursome propose the
building have 48 hotel rooms and a restaurant they'd like
to call Ella's Restaurant in honor of the first female professor
at the UA.
Carnall
Hall sits abandoned on the edge of campus protected
only by a chain-link fence with barbed-wire.
(Photo:
Adam
Wallworth)
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Judy said, should Carnall Inn Development be the company chosen
for the job, the restaurant would likely be managed and operated
similar to James at the Mill, one of the area's most well
known upscale restaurants.
The Vanadis Group has not publicly released details of its
plans for the building, but Todd Rice, chief executive officer
of the company, said the proposal includes adding parking
and addresses historical and structural features of the building.
Judy said the building will likely maintain its historical
appearance and there will be little-to-no added square footage,
although the university's ad hoc committee is evaluating the
proposals and will make final decisions regarding design.
The committee is scheduled to select a company by April 26.
The hotel is expected to be a major attraction of the campus,
Judy said.
"By having Carnall Hall restored, it makes a beautiful place
to stay on campus and is a place where alumnus, many who have
stayed there, can come back to," Judy said. "I'm excited about
it."
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