Abandoned Arkansas Building to be Restored as a Luxury Hotel

If you have ever been to Hot Springs, Arkansas you couldn't help but notice the slim tall building across from the iconic Arlington Hotel and next door to the wax museum.

The 16-story historic Medical Arts Building on Central Avenue is going to be brought back to life after recently being bought. With its unique art deco-style architecture that was constructed in 1929, this once thriving building will be turned into a chic glamorous upscale hotel according to this recent report from KARK News 4.

When I lived there I always thought this building reminded me of something you would see in the city of Metropolis in a Superman movie. I didn't know but the Medical Arts Building was used as the backdrop for the Daily Planet building from the original Superman television show.  Watch the video below and see if you can spot the building, you have to look quick or you will miss it.

The building also sort of reminds me of New York's Empire State Building where King Kong climbed to the top, the only thing missing is the pointed tip.

Nevertheless, The Medical Arts Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978 and in  2012, it was on the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas' list of the state's most endangered places

The building has been sitting in the heart of historic downtown Hot Springs for decades vacant, abandoned, and vandalized as you can see. Watch the video at the end of this story for more interesting facts and the history of this building.

See an updated video by the Hot Springs Broadcast Network on the work that is already being done HERE.

There will be a lot of work that will need to be done to bring this building back to its former glory but the new owner and hotelier Parth Patel is hoping to do just that. Patel purchased the building for $1,175,000. According to Arkansas Online, the structure of the building is in pretty good shape but the interior will have to be completely restored and renovated.

The Medical Arts Building was once known as the "Skyscraper of Health" and at one time was the tallest building in Arkansas.

Here's a more updated look at the abandoned Medical Arts Building.