Dunns Josephine Hotel

The Dunns Josephine Hotel project involved the extensive renovation and rehabilitation of two historic structures, transforming them into a high-end bed and breakfast boutique hotel. To ensure completion and structural integrity, the SEOPW CRA provided significant grant funding totaling over $930,000 to cover comprehensive interior and exterior rehabilitations. Improvements included the installation of vital steel beams and columns, a new fire protection system, and a facade enhancement designed to meet the high standards of the NW 3rd Avenue corridor. The facility now features 15 uniquely themed guest rooms that combine the amenities of a first-class hotel with the intimacy of a traditional bed and breakfast.

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Community Impact

Named in honor of the Harlem Renaissance spirit that defined Overtown during the segregation era, the hotel serves as a living tribute to the "Harlem of the South." Each room is meticulously decorated to celebrate African American icons who once traversed the neighborhood, including Josephine Baker, Langston Hughes, and Zora Neale Hurston. As the area’s first boutique hotel of its kind, the project advances the CRA’s goal of promoting Overtown as a premier tourist destination while preserving its rich multicultural heritage. Beyond hospitality, the hotel fosters local entrepreneurship by utilizing community vendors and serves as a vibrant landmark that anchors the neighborhood’s ongoing cultural and economic comeback.