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Each month we tell the story of a local citizen who has a unique car story to share.
This month, we definitely have a unique citizen and his story that connects two of life’s basics … transportation and shelter.
First, we go back in time, 100 years to the 1920s, and the automobile was now commonplace and reliable enough to travel cross-country. Those early drivers had to have a place to rest. The first auto camps, where they pitched their own tents, quickly spawned sites with cabins rapidly evolving into the motor hotel … or MOTEL. The birth of the Interstate Highway system in 1956 created high-speed routes around the older roads like Route 66 and the Bankhead Highway, which was the first coast-to-coast route. Spanning 3000 miles from Washington, D.C., to San Diego, California, it cut right through the middle of Arlington as Division Street. The main business artery for a growing little city of 45,000 in 1961 when the Caravan Court opened at the corner of Division and N. Collins … It was state-of-the-art, mid-century modern, and the iconic palm-tree sign had a special appeal that has lasted all these years.
Today we salute Sam Mahrouq, a truly unique local citizen with a dream of recreating that Arlington legend. A world-class hotel in the shadow of the landmark sign that has occupied the same spot for 65 years … The new Caravan Court Hotel held its grand opening last month.
Sam Mahrouq has been on these pages many times as a visionary, businessman, and philanthropist. He arrived in Arlington in 1985 as a Jordanian refugee from a Palestinian internment camp. Eighteen years old, he enrolled in UTA, started selling cars on Division, and fell in love with his adopted home. He has contributed mightily to our community, working tirelessly, creating thousands of quality jobs across a staggering array of business segments that now include hospitality. He is a builder of business opportunities and has a deep appreciation of the loyal people around him who keep all the wheels turning. He is also a stickler for detail and quality, plus a family man … wife Rania, sons Zaid and Mo, daughters Raneem and Jeneen.
You will see what I mean about quality and detail when you visit the new CARAVAN COURT, which is far more than a hotel … meeting rooms, small conventions/conferences or a chef-prepared lunch or dinner in the Vandy … named for the legendary Tom Vandegriff.
It is a great place to meet for a cocktail in one of several special sites throughout the facility, including a rooftop lounge that will be a prime viewing spot for the next Arlington Grand Prix. Plus, it provides a nostalgic scene for Sam, peering westward down Division Street past a thousand memories to the horizon.
It is a magnificent place, yet warm and inviting. Beautiful design, materials, and attention to every detail throughout … even the room keys are special. The Caravan Court is one of two finalists for the 46th annual Gold Key Award for Excellence in Hospitality Design. Truly a great addition to our city that embraces the future while respecting the past.
Regular readers know that a special car and its owner’s dream are the focal point of these stories. So, we do have a special car, but the focus is on the destination … the 1954 Buick Skylark, which just seems to capture the spirit of the magnificent new Caravan Court.
A couple of car facts for you enthusiasts… one-year-only design; just 836 were produced in 1954, and approximately 130 remain. It was promoted as Buick’s “sports car” with a 322 cubic-inch, 200 HP V8. It was not a sales success, but it is highly desirable today. And … that Ocean Mist Green paint contrasts perfectly with the darker green of the Caravan Court Palms.
Preparing this feature has been a special treat for me. Meeting Sam and seeing first-hand what ambition and commitment can produce is inspiring. As we approach the end of our city’s 150th anniversary year, Sam’s story, along with all the others that I have had the privilege of meeting and writing about, has created a link in my mind.
There is a 54’ long, 12’ high metal sculpture on Front Street in downtown Arlington.
It is five steel letters … D R E A M.
Arlington is the DREAM city.
I have used that word a lot in this feature.
Sam’s dream to build the CARAVAN COURT HOTEL as a “Thank You” to the city that delivered the American Dream for him carries the same passion that I witness within each person who has a special car to share. They all have dreams. We all have dreams.
Your city thanks you, Sam, for making your most recent vision a reality, and our readers appreciate all who have contributed stories and talent to this monthly feature.
Let’s all be thankful that we live in the Dream City … 10 times bigger than it was when the Palm Trees were “planted” on Division Street and are now our renewed LANDMARK.
