A LaVilla landmark is transformed into a spooky rental

Once a cornerstone of Jacksonville’s historic LaVilla neighborhood, the Lawton Pratt Funeral Home at 525 W. Beaver Street has been given new life as The Raven, a boutique Airbnb that embraces its storied past. Originally opened in 1916 by Lawton Pratt, one of Florida’s first licensed Black funeral directors and a founder of the Florida Negro Embalmers and Morticians Association, the building served the community for more than a century before closing in 2019. Developer Eric Adler has transformed the space into a 13-unit “apart-hotel” that blends historic preservation with modern amenities like a rooftop lounge, pool, and a speakeasy planned for the former embalming room. The brick building, designed by noted architect Joseph H. Blodgett, now offers guests a stay steeped in history, honoring both Pratt’s pioneering legacy and the neighborhood’s cultural roots while revitalizing a once-forgotten corner of downtown Jacksonville. Learn more at Ravenjax.com