The historic Hacienda Hotel in New Port Richey is a step closer to returning to its former splendor.
The hotel opened its doors in 1927. Its grandeur was well-known to celebrities, but it hasn’t had guests in years.
Now it could come back to life soon, as the city plans to hire a contractor next month to get the restoration work started this fall. The city received $1 million in a state grant to begin the historic restoration, which will include a new roof and restoring the original windows, doors, and stairwells.
"What people don't know is that the back of this property has been sealed up since the 1950s," said New Port Richey Economic Development Director Mario Iezzoni. "There's some very beautiful architecture there. “It's going to blend really well with the Sims Park improvements with the upgrades we'll have. It's going to help bring downtown New Port Richey very vibrant and very alive."
The $1 million state grant expires in June of next year but the city plans to get the work done by April.
Once the restoration is finished, a developer will get to work on the preservation and design components to reopen it as a boutique hotel.
The hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.