One of St. Petersburg\u2019s oldest hotels has been given new life.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Owner New Hotel Collection decided to expand the Cordova Inn, at 253 2nd Avenue N. A new, adjacent structure has been built by the original 30-room building that opened in 1921. The property now has an additional 65 rooms.<\/p>\n
According to New Hotel Collection co-founder and co-CEO Tommy Del Zoppo, a soft launch for guests began last week. The project has been in the works for more than three years.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we originally bought the Cordova Inn historic piece, we saw an undervalued asset,\u201d he said. \u201cAt that time, we kind of thought that the dynamic of St. Petersburg was changing rapidly.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Particularly, the age demographic. More young people were visiting or moving to the city, Del Zoppo explained. The construction of the St. Pete Pier, which is near the Cordova Inn, only made the acquisition more attractive.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Del Zoppo and the New Hotel Collection team would purchase the \u201chistoric\u201d site <\/a>in December 2020. \u201cIt was a chance to buy an asset in St. Petersburg,\u201d he added, \u201cand restore it to its glory.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n In 2021, New Hotel Collection updated the hotel and opened a coffee and cocktail bar,<\/a> The Scott,\u00a0on the property. The name pays homage to the Inn\u2019s original moniker.\u00a0<\/p>\n When the adjacent Stanton Hotel and Apartments property <\/a>became available for purchase, Del Zoppo and his colleagues saw an opportunity to preserve the Cordova Inn while modernizing the space for guests.\u00a0<\/p>\n The site was perfect for a new addition, Del Zoppo said. New Hotel Collection would acquire the \u201cdilapidated\u201d property in 2021 and demolish the existing structures.\u00a0<\/p>\n Choosing the right size for the expansion was a strategic decision, he added. The 56,000-square-foot building serves as an extension of the 1920s era hotel.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe last thing we wanted to do was take away from the elegance of the Cordova Inn,\u201d Del Zoppo said. \u201cYou don\u2019t want to lose the history of such a wonderful asset.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n