▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁the ▁Hotel ▁South land ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁the ▁Gr iner ▁Hotel ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁the ▁Amb assador ▁Hotel . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁the ▁building ▁was ▁purchased ▁by ▁Sam ▁East on , ▁now ▁a ▁principal ▁in ▁the ▁Jackson ville ▁real ▁estate ▁firm ▁East on ▁Sand erson ▁& ▁Company . ▁ ▁Over ▁the ▁years ▁the ▁hotel ▁fell ▁into ▁dis rep air ▁as ▁Jackson ville ' s ▁dow nt own ▁went ▁into ▁decl ine . ▁The ▁building ▁was ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁Register ▁of ▁Historic ▁Places ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁but ▁this ▁did ▁not ▁significantly ▁improve ▁its ▁fort unes . ▁It ▁was ▁converted ▁into ▁a ▁low - rent ▁single ▁room ▁occup ancy , ▁with ▁rooms ▁r ented ▁by ▁the ▁week . ▁It ▁closed ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁ ▁Ren ov ation ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁Jackson ville ▁business man ▁Lam onte ▁Carter ▁initi ated ▁plans ▁to ▁purchase ▁and ▁restore ▁ 3 1 0 ▁West ▁Church ▁Street . ▁He ▁had ▁encountered ▁the ▁building ▁when ▁he ▁happened ▁to ▁park ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁it ▁on ▁his ▁way ▁to ▁an ▁appointment . ▁He ▁contact ed ▁East on , ▁who ▁had ▁halt ed ▁a ▁plan ▁to ▁renov ate ▁the ▁surrounding ▁block ▁after ▁construction ▁st alled ▁on ▁the ▁Du val ▁County ▁Cour th ouse , ▁located ▁nearby . ▁Carter ' s ▁plan ▁for ▁ 3 1 0 ▁West