Angebilt Hotel facts for kids
| The Angebilt Hotel | |
Quick facts for kids  |
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| Hotel facts and statistics | |
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| Location | 37 N Orange Avenue, Orlando, FL |
| Coordinates | 28°32′34″N 81°22′44″W / 28.542851°N 81.378816°W |
| Opening date | March 14, 1923 |
| Developer | Joseph Fenner Ange |
| Architect | Murray S. King |
| No. of rooms | 250 |
| No. of floors | 11 |
The Angebilt Hotel is a famous building in Orlando, Florida. You can find it at 37 North Orange Avenue. This 11-story building was designed by architect Murray S. King. It was built between 1921 and 1923. The hotel officially opened its doors on March 14, 1923.
The hotel was first run by Joseph Fenner Ange. After a short time, it faced some financial trouble. But it was sold and reopened the next year. Later, in 1983, a fire damaged the top floors. The building was then closed for repairs. Today, the Angebilt Hotel is no longer a hotel. It now holds offices, with shops and restaurants on the ground floor.
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History of the Angebilt Hotel
The idea for the Angebilt Hotel began in June 1920. A man named Joseph Fenner Ange announced his plans. He wanted to build a huge hotel that would cost $1 million. The land where the hotel stands was once home to the Rosalind Club. That club moved to a new spot, and its old building was taken down.
Building the Hotel
Construction on the Angebilt Hotel started in 1921. Right across the street was another big hotel, the San Juan Hotel. To stay the best, the San Juan Hotel even added 8 more stories to its building! This started a friendly competition between the two hotels.
On March 1, 1923, something exciting happened. A famous person known as "The Human Fly," Harry Gardiner, climbed the outside of the Angebilt. He did this to help raise money for a local club. The Angebilt Hotel was finished and opened on March 14, 1923. It had 250 rooms spread across 11 floors. The rivalry between the Angebilt and San Juan hotels lasted for 52 years!
Early Years and Challenges
Just two months after opening, Joseph Fenner Ange had to leave the hotel. But the Angebilt was quickly sold at a public auction. It reopened and continued its business. In January 1926, a big dinner was held there. Even when the Great Depression hit in 1929, the Angebilt Hotel managed to stay open. This was a tough time for many businesses.
Later Years and Renovation
By the late 1960s, the hotel started to have some difficult times. It wasn't as popular as it used to be. The top floor and ballroom were used for storage. Also, many of the fire alarms in the building were not working.
In 1978, the lobby of the Angebilt got a fresh new look. Then, between 1980 and 1985, the building was bought and sold by a company called Central Florida Investments Inc. (CFI Inc.).
On February 27, 1983, a fire broke out on the top two floors. The fire started in the top floor ballroom, which was full of stored items. Firefighters had a hard time putting out the fire. This was partly because the fire alarms were broken. An employee only noticed the fire when they heard glass break. Firefighters worked for almost three hours to control the blaze.
After the fire, the Angebilt was renovated throughout the 1980s. It was turned into office spaces. In 1988, it even became a temporary courthouse annex for Orange County. This was because the old courthouse building had some issues. In 1998, the Orange County government moved to the new Orange County Courthouse.
Today, the Angebilt building is still used for offices. You can also find restaurants and shops on its ground floor.
