Floridan Hotel
Encyclopedia
The Floridan Hotel is a historic hotel
in Tampa
, Florida, United States. 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 property has been undergoing extensive historic restoration since August 2005.
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.
Over the years, the hotel hosted such stars as Gary Cooper
as he filmed the movie Hell Harbor with actress Lupe Valdez
; and Elvis Presley
stayed at the hotel in 1955 after a concert at the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory.
The hotel began to decline in patronage in the early 1960s as more modern “motels” were built along the highways that skirted the city. In 1966 the hotel closed to commercial and tourist hotel and remained only open to long term renters. By the 1980s the once grand and luxurious 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 ownership fails to bring the building up to new firecodes.
on March 12, 1996. He would sell the hotel in 1997 to Capital LLC.
The Hotel was purchased on April 21, 2005 by hotelier and real-estate investor Antonios Markopoulos for $6 Million. An extensive cleaning and restoration of the building's interior and exterior began in August 2005 and has continued, gradually, for more than five years.
The Floridan's original sign, which was found by work crews during the cleaning of the building in 2005, and had adorned the buildings roof for decades, was restored and placed on the hotel's rooftop once more in late summer 2008.
As of October 2010, work is still ongoing.
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
in Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, Florida, United States. 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
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The property has been undergoing extensive historic restoration since August 2005.
History
Construction on the hotel began in 1926 by Francis J. Kennard & Son, Architects and the Floridan Hotel officially opened in 1927 with 19 floors and 316 rooms, at a cost of $1.9 million to build. At the time the Floridan was the tallest building in Florida and would remain the tallest building in Tampa until 1966 when the Franklin Exchange BuildingFranklin Exchange Building
The Franklin Exchange Building is a 280ft high rise in Tampa, Florida. It was completed in 1966 and has 22 floors. When it was completed it was the tallest building in Tampa, now it is the 14th....
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.
Over the years, the hotel hosted such stars as Gary Cooper
Gary Cooper
Frank James Cooper, known professionally as Gary Cooper, was an American film actor. He was renowned for his quiet, understated acting style and his stoic, but at times intense screen persona, which was particularly well suited to the many Westerns he made...
as he filmed the movie Hell Harbor with actress Lupe Valdez
Lupe Valdez
Lupe Valdez is an American law enforcement official and the Sheriff of Dallas County, Texas. She is Texas's only elected female sheriff, as well as being the only openly lesbian holder of that office.-Early life:...
; and Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
stayed at the hotel in 1955 after a concert at the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory.
The hotel began to decline in patronage in the early 1960s as more modern “motels” were built along the highways that skirted the city. In 1966 the hotel closed to commercial and tourist hotel and remained only open to long term renters. By the 1980s the once grand and luxurious 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 ownership fails to bring the building up to new firecodes.
Restoration
The hotel had bounced through several ownership groups from 1987 until 2005. Most prominent among these was Akio Ogawa and Sity International Inc. who purchased the Hotel at foreclosure in 1989. The purchase is noteworthy because it was the work of Ogawa that had the building added to the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on March 12, 1996. He would sell the hotel in 1997 to Capital LLC.
The Hotel was purchased on April 21, 2005 by hotelier and real-estate investor Antonios Markopoulos for $6 Million. An extensive cleaning and restoration of the building's interior and exterior began in August 2005 and has continued, gradually, for more than five years.
The Floridan's original sign, which was found by work crews during the cleaning of the building in 2005, and had adorned the buildings roof for decades, was restored and placed on the hotel's rooftop once more in late summer 2008.
As of October 2010, work is still ongoing.