French
DeutschHotel Flor Tampa
Hotel Flor Tampa Downtown, Tapestry Collection by Hilton | |
 Front of the Hotel Flor Tampa Downtown, Tapestry Collection by Hilton | |
   | |
| Location | 905 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, Florida |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 27°57′6″N 82°26′54″W / 27.95167°N 82.44833°W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1926-1927 |
| Architect | G.A. Miller and Francis J. Kennard |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000315[1] |
| Added to NRHP | March 12, 1996 |
The Hotel Flor Tampa Downtown, Tapestry Collection by Hilton,[2][3] is a historic hotel in Tampa, Florida, opened in 1927 as the Hotel Floridan. It is located at 905 North Florida Avenue in the north end of the downtown core. On March 12, 1996, the Floridan was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. The hotel is known to be one of the most haunted buildings in Downtown Tampa, with the highest levels of activity taking place in the lobby as well as various guestrooms.
History
[edit]Early Years
[edit]Construction of the Hotel Floridan began in 1926. It was designed by prominent Tampa architects G.A. Miller and Francis J. Kennard and was constructed at a cost of $1.9 million. It opened in 1927, with 19 floors and 316 rooms. At the time the Floridan was the tallest building in Tampa and would remain the tallest building in until 1966 when the Franklin Exchange Building was completed.
The hotel's bar, the Sapphire Room, was a popular nightspot during World War II for servicemen who were training at nearby Drew Field to fly B-17s over Europe. Many of the service men at that time were housed in makeshift barracks located underneath the bleachers at the old Florida State Fairgrounds racetrack a few blocks away. The bar's wild reputation at the time earned it the nickname "The Surefire Room".[4]
Decline
[edit]The hotel began to decline in the early 1960s, as more modern "motels" were built along the highways that skirted the city. In 1966, the hotel closed to overnight guests and remained open to long term renters only. By the 1980s, the hotel had become a residence for transients, renting rooms by the week or month. The Floridan Hotel finally closed its doors in 1989, after new owners failed to bring the building up to new firecodes.
Restoration
[edit]
The hotel bounced through several ownership groups from 1987 to 2005. Most prominent among these was Akio Ogawa and Sity International Inc., who purchased the Hotel at foreclosure in 1989. Ogawa had the building added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 12, 1996. He sold it to Capital LLC in 1997.
The Hotel was purchased in April 2005 by hotelier and real-estate investor Tony Markopoulos for $6 million.[5] An extensive cleaning and restoration of the building's interior and exterior began in August 2005.[6]
The Floridan's original sign was found in a rooftop storage room in 2005, and was restored on the hotel's rooftop in late summer 2008.[7][8]
The hotel maintained many original features. The hotel had 400 small rooms during the 1940s. The rooms were expanded during the renovations into 213 larger rooms including 15 suites and 3 penthouse suites.[9]
The famous Crystal Dining Room was restored and expanded across the west side of the lobby, connecting into the lobby bar, which was originally a ladies' lounge. The Sapphire Lounge on the first floor was likewise restored, and a ballroom, was added in a former post office building adjoining the hotel.[2]
The restoration was completed in 2012. A grand opening ceremony was held on July 28 and the hotel reopened on July 30, 2012 as the Floridan Palace Hotel.
The hotel joined the Tapestry Collection division of Hilton Hotels & Resorts in 2024 and was renamed the Hotel Flor, following a $25 million renovation.[10] The Sapphire Lounge was remodeled as The Dan, a restaurant modeled on on old-school speakeasies. Also located on the property is the grab-and-go Cass Street Coffee, open for breakfast and lunch.
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ a b Mullins, Richard (July 19, 2012). "Renovated Floridan Hotel plans opening ceremony". The Tampa Tribune. Archived from the original on February 8, 2013. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- ^ George, Justin (July 20, 2012). "Historic Floridan to re-open". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
- ^ Daniel Ruth (July 24, 2008). "For Her, The Floridan Never Closed". TBO.com. Archived from the original on October 14, 2008. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
- ^ McNamara, Ellen (February 12, 2011). "Floridan Hotel will soon be the palace it once was". WFTS-TV/ABC Action News. Scripps TV Station Group. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
- ^ Huettel, Steve (August 12, 2005). "Citytimes: New owner to restore old hotel's faded glory". St. Petersburg Times. Archived from the original on March 6, 2006. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
- ^ M. Lisa Shasteen, attorney for Markopoulos and hotel spokesperson throughout the acquisition and renovation process 813-220-3000
- ^ Richard Mullins (October 17, 2008). "Tampa Floridan Hotel Renovation Costing 'Millions, Millions'". TBO.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2008. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
- ^ Shaw, Rob (July 28, 2012). "Floridan Palace Hotel ready to take a bow". The Tampa Tribune. Archived from the original on September 5, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
- ^ https://www.newswire.com/news/floridan-palace-hotel-joins-tapestry-collection-by-hilton-transforming-22221335
External links
[edit]
- Hotel Flor Tampa official website
- Hillsborough County listings at National Register of Historic Places
- Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs
- Brad Massey, "The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of a Modern Florida Landmark: A History of Tampa's Floridan Hotel," Tampa Bay History, Volume 23, 2009: pgs. 1-29
