Our Story
The Carrick Hotel
Since taking ownership in 2022, we have transformed this historic Bisbee property, restoring its grandeur while updating it for the modern traveler. All of the rooms have been upgraded, and artwork throughout the property showcases local artists. We are proud to have brought new life to this historic property and to welcome travelers to Bisbee.
As part of this transformation, Gym Club Suites became The Carrick. After years of inquiries from guests who assumed the hotel was a fitness facility, it was time to redefine its identity. The former name had no deep historical significance, tracing back to the building’s conversion from a YMCA into apartments in 1988 and its later transition into a hotel in 2007.
Carrick is a popular name in Ireland, and the property bears similarities to buildings found on Kildare Street in Dublin. Old Bisbee rests on the enduring Pinal Schist, a bedrock foundation formed 1.7 billion years ago. This connection made the name feel especially fitting and deeply resonant, as “Carrick” is derived from the Irish word for rock, symbolizing strength and steadfastness.
Through this transformation, we honor Bisbee’s rich history and pay homage to the thousands of Irish immigrant miners who helped shape the community. The name also reflects Bisbee’s unique historical connections—from Mexico to Ireland and around the world—and serves as a heartfelt tribute to the perseverance of the diverse people who formed the rock-solid community Bisbee has become.
We invite you to stay at The Carrick and explore the many enchanting facets of Bisbee. Your visit promises history, charm, and the allure of a bygone era.
Brad, General Manager with Carrick, Owner
Our General Manager, Lisa, Assistant Manager, Alli, and Carrick
The Carrick is owned by Carrick Sears, a Phoenix resident—and one might wonder what led him to own a hotel in a small southeastern Arizona town. But Carrick is no stranger to small towns. In fact, he grew up on a Northern California cattle ranch just south of the Oregon border, near Yreka, California.
In June 2015, Carrick visited Bisbee for the first time and fell in love with the charming town. On his third visit, in September 2021, he began considering investing in the community. Shortly thereafter, Gym Club Suites was listed for sale. Upon learning that the property had been converted into apartments in 1988 and later furnished as a hotel in 2007, Carrick quickly became interested. With extensive experience in multifamily properties and short-term rentals, he was confident that if the hotel was not profitable, the building could once again function as an apartment complex.
Carrick purchased the hotel in July 2022 and began an extensive remodel. New flooring, plumbing and light fixtures, paint, baseboards, toilets, and select countertops were installed. New furniture, kitchenware, mattresses, and artwork were also brought in to update the property and meet today’s hospitality standards.
While the property had plenty of character and charm, it was outdated and in need of significant remodeling and refurnishing. The previous owner, Angel Hsiung, purchased the property in 2007 and furnished the rooms, converting the apartments into short-term rentals. When Carrick purchased the property, it had worn carpets, outdated furniture, and considerable deferred maintenance. His goal was to preserve, restore, and showcase the character of the original 1903 building while offering modern conveniences.
Our Team
Before purchasing the hotel, Carrick knew he wanted to rename it. During his first tour with the previous owner, Angel, she received a phone call from someone asking about the gym’s hours. Because of the name Gym Club Suites, the caller understandably assumed the property was an actual gym—even though it did not have an on-site fitness space.
In recognition of the building’s history as a YMCA, the hotel now provides guests with complimentary access to nearby Jaguar Fitness Elite, located in downtown Bisbee next to Safeway. The hotel was renamed The Carrick in the summer of 2023.
We invite you to experience this charming boutique hotel and all the enchantment of the historic mining town we call Bisbee!
With nearly 52 reasons a year to visit Bisbee, we love celebrating the town’s festivals, holidays, and special occasions here at The Carrick. Here are a few photos from celebrations throughout the year.
Team Christmas Dinner
Cinco De Mayo Party
Pride Party
The History Of Our Building
Frank E. Perkins was an in-house architect for the Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Company. He designed many of the company’s buildings, including the Copper Queen Gymnasium.
At first glance, The Carrick appears tall and stately. One reason may be its windows, which become smaller on each successive level, creating the illusion that the building is taller. The window designs also differ from one level to the next.
According to the Bisbee Daily Review, Mr. Perkins also designed the cornice at the top of the building. The newspaper described it as “the most elaborate in the Southwest.” Made of metal, the cornice moldings extend three feet from the building.
Mr. Perkins resigned one month before the YMCA was completed. He was replaced by architect H. A. Hearst, whose brother later became director of the Copper Queen Gymnasium.
In 1908, Mr. Perkins won first prize for his proposed design for the Capitol building in San Juan, Puerto Rico. For various reasons, only part of his winning design was incorporated when the building was constructed more than a decade later.
When San Francisco architect and developer Garth Collier was first shown a photograph of Bisbee, he asked a friend, “Where in Europe was it?” Within weeks, Collier and his business partner, Greg Craft—the other half of Collier Craft Development Co.—had developed plans to help transform Bisbee into a resort, retirement, and tourist destination.
Collier Craft and its investors purchased five of the town’s once-quaint but deteriorating buildings, with plans to convert them into apartments renting for $350 to $600 per month.
—The Ledger, March 16, 1984
The YMCA was one of those five buildings. Its swimming pool was filled in, the interior was gutted, and the building was transformed into a 17-unit apartment complex. An elevator, a wooden deck along the side of the former gymnasium, and several rooftop decks were also added.
Decades after the renovation, the building continues to draw “oohs” and “wows” from guests. Its spacious suites are open and airy, creating a sense of comfort and well-being.
Mr. Collier continued his architectural practice through Collier and Associates in San Francisco.
This is the gymnasium’s original ceiling visible in Suite 205, as well as in Suites 203, 204, and 303.
The 94-inch-tall windows in Suite 202 provide abundant natural light and views of Old Bisbee.
Suite 102 is one of several suites featuring a loft that takes advantage of the building’s high ceilings.
This photo shows several of the most noticeable improvements Mr. Collier made to the building:
1. The window trim was painted white to brighten the building’s appearance.
2. A deck was added to the side of the former gymnasium—the two-story building in the background—providing additional outdoor space from which to enjoy Bisbee’s beautiful weather. Nine of the building’s original 17 apartment units included some form of private outdoor space.
3. A rooftop deck was created by cutting an opening in the roof, visible as the large open area between the skylights on the rear building. The property has four rooftop decks in total.
4. The photo also provides a clear comparison of the different window sizes and designs across the building’s three levels.
The Four Lives of the YMCA Building
First Life: 1903–1973
The YMCA and Bisbee Recreation Center
Second Life: 1985–2007
The Gym Club Apartments
Third Life: 2007–2022
Gym Club Suites, offering furnished accommodations for nightly stays
Fourth Life: 2022–Present
New ownership, extensive renovations, and a new name: The Carrick
Other interesting facts about the building:
1. The building was “built upon a rock,” as a wise man would. The exposed rock can still be seen in the basement.
2. The exterior walls are constructed from four layers of red brick, making the building exceptionally well insulated—and creating the need for seven wireless internet extenders.
3. In 1914, the decision was made to add a swimming pool in the YMCA’s basement after too many boys drowned while swimming in local watering holes. The pool was excavated by hand and measured approximately 20 by 36 feet.
Basement:
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Bowling alley with four lanes
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Bathrooms and shower
First floor:
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Lobby
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Public reception hall
Second floor:
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Reading room with newspaper and magazines
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Smoking room and desks for men
Third floor:
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Ping-pong, pool, and billiards rooms
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Room for cards, checkers, and chess
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Room for boxing and wrestling
Gymnasium
Equipped with the most modern exercise equipment of its time, including:
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Basketball equipment
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Rowing machines
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Ladders and bars
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Trapeze equipment
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Punching bags
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Dumbbells
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Swinging clubs
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A piano
A gallery above the gymnasium provided seating for spectators.
The building also had separate shuffleboard rooms for men and for boys under 16.
The Copper Queen Gymnasium, 1903
The Copper Queen Gymnasium was built by the Copper Queen Consolidated Mining Company, which was owned by Phelps Dodge, for the people of Bisbee to enjoy.
The building provided:
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A place for men to smoke and read
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A venue for dances and cultural events, including concerts
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A place for boys and girls to play checkers, pool, and ping-pong
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A gymnasium for sports and exercise
The project cost $40,000: $30,000 for the building and $10,000 for athletic and recreational equipment.
Membership in the gymnasium was initially limited to 300 people. After its grand opening, the building was turned over to a board of directors. The Copper Queen Gymnasium became known as the Gymnasium Club.
In December 1905, the Bisbee Gymnasium Club and all of its equipment were formally transferred to the YMCA through a long-term lease for a minimal sum. The only significant changes were that games were prohibited on Sundays and religious services were held on Sunday afternoons.
By September 1906, membership had grown from 300 to 600 under the YMCA’s direction. The Phelps Dodge Company decided to enlarge the building by adding 900 square feet at the original entrance. The top of the addition was left open as a porch accessible only from the second floor.
The men’s reading and smoking rooms were moved to the newly added basement space. Their former rooms became classrooms for vocational training, including bookkeeping, business penmanship, mechanical drawing, and first aid. The main entrance was relocated to the west side of the building, where it remains today.
In June 1909, a rifle range was added in the bowling alley hall for use during the summer, when it was too hot to bowl. In 1914, a swimming pool was added in the basement to provide boys with a safer place to swim.
Pictured above is the southwest corner of the 20-by-36-foot swimming pool. At top right, members play volleyball in the gymnasium. Below are a game of snooker in the main-floor lobby and a YMCA advertisement from a 1920 Bisbee Chamber of Commerce publication.
The interior photographs of the Gym Club were taken by Arnold Figueroa, director of the recreation center during the 1960s.
