 |
| Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association |
The premier hotel in St. Petersburg, Florida is the Vinoy. It sits on St. Petersburg's Tampa Bay waterfront, adjoining a park with royal palms, and oak and banyan trees.
 |
| Photo by Joe Rosh, 2007 |
 |
| Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association |
The hotel attracted famous guests for decades, but went into a slow decline. By the 1970s, an overnight stay cost only about $20, and in 1974 the hotel closed.
The Vinoy then suffered from eighteen years of neglect. Teens partied in the empty ballroom, derelicts slept where they could, windows were broken, and finally the hotel was surrounded by a chain link fence and written off for demolition. I remember it in that state, and it was an eyesore.
In 1978, though, the Vinoy was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and a succession of owners and investors spent $93-million to bring it back to its old glory. In 1992, the Vinoy reopened, as beautiful as ever.
 |
| Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association |
 |
| Photo, Mark D. Ruffner |
 |
| Photo, Mark D. Ruffner |
 |
| Photo, Mark D. Ruffner |
The entrance to the Vinoy is as Baroque as they come. Unfortunately, there's a porte cochere directly in front of it, so it can be viewed only at close range. Still, it's spectacular.
 |
| Photo, Mark D. Ruffner |
 |
| Photos, Mark D. Ruffner |
Original tilework survived, and they shine with a patina that makes them look like gold.
The photographs in this posting that are credited to the Historic Old Northeast Neighborhood Association, and the quotation from Norma Dew Sleeper, come from the award-winning book above, Views from the Vinoy. It's indeed a well-designed and interesting souvenir of St. Petersburg.
And if you're ever in St. Petersburg, be sure to visit the Vinoy.
.
How thankful that this story has a happy ending!
ReplyDeleteHi Mark, What a great Landmark. Does the name Vinoy have a family behind it?
ReplyDeleteHi, Devoted and Gina - the name Vinoy does indeed have a family name behind it. The builder was Aymer Vinoy Laughner. Today the hotel is properly called the Renaissance Vinoy.
ReplyDeleteHello:
ReplyDeleteWhat joyful news of the resurrection [or should that be renaissance] of this wonderful hotel. It is so terribly sad when these buildings, which are such historical landmarks, are allowed to fall into disrepair. But, the Vinoy looks to be very splendidly restored and we should certainly wish to spend the night there if we were ever in St. Petersburg [Florida, that is].
We have happily found you via a comment you left on Savoir Faire. And, now we are Followers.
Dear Jane and Lance,
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting and following my site. I've seen your presence at other blogs and always appreciate your comments and insights!
Hi Mark,
ReplyDeleteSplendid! Love these restoration stories.
Anyes
XX
Now that's a Grand Hotel. I'm so glad that many hotels are now being refurbished instead of being demolished. There is such a feeling of history and great sense of place that older hotels have and that, to my mind, these new hotels will never be able to capture. Case in point, the newly refurbished St. Pancras in London.
ReplyDeleteHi, Anyes and Buoni - The St. Pancras Renaissance is indeed gorgeous (I just Googled it)! Something else to add to the bucket list!
ReplyDeleteI love these stories of great buildings resurrected to former (or new) glory. This looks like a marvelous restoration. Thank goodness the National Register had the good sense to save it from extinction.
ReplyDeleteHi, Stacey - the National Register acted before major structural damage was done; I look at the tilework, that entrance, even original stenciled rafters, and wonder that they were not vandalized!
ReplyDeleteYou are lucky that such a precious architectural treasure didn't perish. How absolutely delightful it is. I also find it heartwarming to see the shabby neglect disappear with thoughtful and painstaking renewal. What a contrast to the dreadful new Ritz-Carlton I recently wrote about, an impersonal skyscraper completely clad in glass.
ReplyDeletehttp://squarewithflair.blogspot.com/2011/04/ritz-carlton-toronto-this-is-ritz.html
Of course this revivalist style of architecture looks especially splendid punctuated by the nearby palm trees, evoking the Mediterranean in the most charming way.
Gee, some of that architectural painting with the arabesques looks like some of the work of the talented master, Mark. I’m guessing that the current decoration is much lighter and simpler than the original. I’ll bet the original was very Norma Desmond-ish. The modern decoration looks appropriate…in keeping with the gorgeous “bones” and date of the room, but lighter, brighter, and a bit more casual for the 21st century.
Does the tower have any practical use, or is it strictly stylish whimsy?
Thanks for the interesting introduction.
Hi, Terry - I knew this would be right up your alley! I might actually go back and retake the image of the renovated hall. There's usually an astounding floral display front and center, but the day that I was taking photos, the arrangement was minimalist ...
ReplyDeleteTo my knowledge, the tower doesn't have any practical use.
ReplyDeleteHow pleasing to read a story of a survivor, no--a phoenix rising from the ashes. All too often the story has a different ending. Thank you for this post, it made my day.
ReplyDeleteBe still my heart!!!! It is so wonderful to see this resurrection happen.It is all wonderful, but that entrance makes me drool!
ReplyDeleteTheresa, no wonder! It occurs to me that a trompe l'oeil of that entrance would make a good backing for your future cassapanca.
ReplyDeleteMark, absolutely wonderful! I love historic hotels and even some modern ones, which has led to even more aditions to the ephemera collections! Now on my list to visit, after I have finished with the other St. Petersburg!
ReplyDeleteHi, David - between St. Petersburg, Tampa and the Beaches (a string of beach communities on the Gulf of Mexico), there's much to explore here!
ReplyDeleteWhat an incredible hotel - I will most certainly take a look at it as it's fairly close. Thank you for this. Am enjoying your blog.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting, Regina. By the way, the Vinoy serves a wonderful breakfast, and my suggestion would be to drop in for that.
ReplyDelete