Let’s do the time warp: Documenting The Jack Tar motel, aka the Oprah Building in Durham

This Wednesday, the INDY is featuring stories about two iconic—and now tattered—motels: Aaron Lake Smith is writing about the legal morass of The Velvet Cloak Inn on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh; I’m writing about the future of the former Jack Tar, aka the Oprah building, in downtown Durham.

Each has its own sordid history; each also has its own promise.

Starting this fall, Austin Lawrence Partners, which is also building the 26-story tower and rehabbing the decrepit facades on West Main and West Parrish streets, will begin renovating the Jack Tar.

Before that happens, I wanted to document the motel in its current state. If you’ve not been inside, this audio slideshow will take you there.