Floridan Palace Hotel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Floridan Hotel
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Front of the Florida Palace Hotel
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | 905 N. Florida Ave., Tampa, Florida |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1926-1927 |
| Architect | G.A. Miller and Francis J. Kennard |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000315 |
| Added to NRHP | March 12, 1996 |
The Floridan Palace Hotel is a famous old hotel in Tampa, Florida, United States. It used to be known as the Hotel Floridan. You can find it at 905 North Florida Avenue in the northern part of downtown Tampa.
Two well-known architects from Tampa, G.A. Miller and Francis J. Kennard, designed the hotel. It was built in 1926 and opened its doors in early 1927. Because of its history, the Floridan was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on March 12, 1996.
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Hotel History: A Look Back
Construction on the Floridan Hotel started in 1926. It was built by Francis J. Kennard & Son, Architects. The hotel officially opened in 1927. It had 19 floors and 316 rooms. Building it cost about $1.9 million.
When it opened, the Floridan was the tallest building in Tampa. It held this record for a long time. It remained the tallest building until 1966. That's when the Franklin Exchange Building was finished.
The Sapphire Room: A Popular Spot
The hotel had a popular spot called the Sapphire Room. During World War II, soldiers training nearby often visited it to relax. Many of these soldiers were housed in temporary barracks close by. The Sapphire Room was known as a lively place. Because of how popular it was, people sometimes called it "The Surefire Room."
Changes Over Time
In the early 1960s, the hotel started to become less popular. More modern "motels" were built along the highways around the city. In 1966, the hotel stopped taking regular guests and tourists. It stayed open only for people who wanted to rent rooms for a long time.
By the 1980s, this once grand hotel had changed. It became a place where people rented rooms by the week or month. The Floridan Hotel finally closed completely in 1989. This happened because the new owners could not update the building to meet new fire safety rules.
After seven years of hard work to fix it up, the hotel opened again. It welcomed the public on July 30, 2012. It was then known as the Floridan Palace Hotel.
Bringing the Hotel Back to Life
The hotel had different owners from 1987 until 2005. One important owner was Akio Ogawa and Sity International Inc.. They bought the hotel in 1989. It was because of Akio Ogawa's efforts that the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This happened on March 12, 1996. He later sold the hotel in 1997.
In April 2005, a hotel owner and real estate investor named Tony Markopoulos bought the hotel. He paid $6 million for it. A big project to clean and restore the inside and outside of the building began in August 2005. This work lasted until July 2012. A special opening ceremony was held on July 28, 2012. The hotel then opened to everyone on July 30.
The Rooftop Sign Returns
During the cleaning of the building in 2005, the Floridan's original sign was found. It was in a storage room on the roof. This sign had been on the building's roof for many years. It was carefully restored and put back on the hotel's rooftop in late summer 2008.
What You'll Find Inside
Today, the Floridan Palace Hotel still has many of its original features. In the 1940s, the hotel had 400 small rooms. During the recent renovations, these rooms were made larger. Now, the hotel has 213 bigger rooms. This includes 15 regular suites and 3 special penthouse suites.
Dining and Lounges
The famous Crystal Dining Room has been beautifully restored. It has also been made larger. It now stretches across the west side of the lobby. It connects to the lobby lounge, which used to be a ladies' lounge. The Dining Room serves traditional continental food. It also offers many Mediterranean dishes. This is a special nod to the hotel's Greek owner.
The Sapphire Lounge, located on the first floor, has also been restored. A new ballroom has been added too. This ballroom is in the building next to the Floridan that used to be a post office. There are also plans to add a swimming pool and a spa in the future.
