Cordova Inn owners embark on a new era for historic hotel
Gaps along a fenced barrier at 225 3rd St. N. reveal glimpses of construction crews pouring concrete for the expansion of the historic Cordova Inn, the oldest hotel in St. Petersburg.
“Next week, this is going to start to look like a real building,” New Hotel Collection founder and CEO Tommy Del Zoppo said during a Friday groundbreaking ceremony for the planned 65-room hotel that will connect to the existing Cordova Inn.
The Cordova Inn and the adjacent construction site. Photo by Veronica Brezina.
Two months ago, New Hotel Collection, the owner of the Cordova Inn, secured a $20 million construction loan from Oklahoma-based Firstar Bank for the expansion.
In working with general contractor Reno Boyd Building Company, the development team razed the Stanton Apartments on the corner lot to make way for the project that will bring a new five-story building, creating a total of 50,400 square feet for the hotel’s operations. It also will feature a rooftop bar and ground-floor restaurant.
The construction site of the new hotel. Photo by Veronica Brezina.
Although the new construction will add desired amenities and rooms, Del Zoppo said the expansion will not jeopardize the charm of the 102-year-old Cordova Inn.
“We don’t want the new hotel and Cordova Inn to look like two separate structures. I don’t think you can replicate what is here, but you can take certain aesthetics and create a seamless flow,” Del Zoppo said as his eyes fixated on a screen playing an automated slideshow of the new renderings.
The new rooms will be larger and offer updated amenities while embracing the original 1920s design of the Cordova Inn.
A rendering of a room inside the new hotel.
“If it doesn’t flow, we have missed the mark,” Del Zoppo said. He also noted how the exterior columns for the new hotel will be created from steel rather than wood – a cheaper material.
“Place Architecture [a prominent local architect firm] was adamant about using steel. The reality of the situation is when you do something as significant as this, there are certain parts of the structure you have to spend more money on,” said Del Zoppo.
Additionally, the space in between the existing hotel and the new structure will be converted into a lush “Zen garden” space.
“This is the best way to connect the buildings instead of having a structure that doesn’t fit with the design,” he said.
A rendering of the shared garden space.
When crafting the plans for the hotel expansion, Del Zoppo said the team sought guidance from Preserve the ‘Burg, the historic preservation organization.
“For us, it was important to talk with them because somebody has to be the gatekeeper for what’s happening in the city. If you are going to revive something that reflects the history of the city, it has to be executed the right way,” Del Zoppo said.
The project will be completed by the third quarter of 2024.
New Hotel Collection’s other properties include a hotel within the Harbourside Resort in Indian Rocks Beach, Beachside Resort in Indian Shores and The Historic Central Hotel in Sevierville, Tennessee.
